Kitchen808

Dishing out the latest trends and news on Hip Hop and Pop Culture.

[kitchhen-blog]

FIFTY KARATS

Udo Ihem, 23, is a Florida native who created his own clothing brand, Fifty Karats, in 2012. The fashion label is rooted in athletic, casual wear with a mix of street style. Built from the ground up, Ihem has been able to feature his brand collections with popular Hip-Hop musicians like Tory Lanez, Kodak Black and Twelve’len. Fifty Karats grew its popularity internationally with the eye-catching “Make Money Not Friends” print design. Ihem focuses on incorporating balance and moderation into his collections. Over the last year, his online boutique has been featured generated over $100,000 in revenue and has been features in magazines like GQ, Hypebeast, and NY Times.

Fashion and music have become synonymous. This digital age has formed a creative space for millennials to become entrepreneurs by captivating a large following on social media platforms.

It is an honor to interview a fellow colleague of mine who inspires fashion and music.  

Get to know the mastermind behind “Make Money Not Friends”.

1.       Fifty Karats. How did you come up with that name?

I came up with the name around the premise of the 24 karats being the purest form of gold and I wanted my brand to stand for being be better than the “best”. So I needed any number higher than 24 really and “Fifty” sounded nice to me. Fifty Karats means to be better than the best you. Pushing your limits and achieving the things you may have not thought you can accomplish.

2.       When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in fashion?

It wasn’t something I expected it kind of just happened. I woke up one day and I was in the fashion industry. I love what I do and everyone wears clothes.

3.       Who and which things influences your designs?

My designs are influenced really by my everyday life. There’s been a lot of movie references throughout my collections. Quentin Tarantino would definitely be one of those people. Also, a huge influence of mine is Massimo Vignelli.

4.       What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when starting out? What are you still learning as creative designer?

My biggest mistake starting out I would say was not keeping track of everything around business wise and I’m still learning about patience. Just taking more time developing projects.

5.       How does music play a role in your creative designs?

Music plays a huge role for me. The music sets the tone for the creative process and the overall presentation.

6.       What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

Social media is fashion now. Social media controls what’s popular not necessarily what’s good.

7.       What work ethics do you believe in following while working with fashion?

The work ethic for anything major that you’re trying to build has to match whatever goal you’re trying to reach. It’s that simple.

8.       How do you handle the pressure of creating fresh and original ideas?

Whenever I feel any type of “tension” within myself that’s when I know that I need a break. Also, relaxation as well as uncomfortably will always be a breeding ground of fresh ideas.

9.       If you can choose anyone to model your clothes, preferably someone in music, who would it be?

If I could choose anyone in music to model my clothes it would easily be Kid Cudi hands down.

10.   “Make Money Not Friends” is very popular on an international level. How do you manage maintaining your copy-right to the slogan in other countries? What goes through your mind when you find people trying to plagiarize your brand?

None of it is easy and I’m still learning about the legal process as I go along.

11.   What should we expect from your new collection? What will be your message?

This new collection commemorates Fifty Karats’s 5th year anniversary and it’ll be more focused on Fifty Karats designs.

12.   Are you interested in having a runway show?

At the moment a runways show isn’t something i’m too interested in.

13.   Where do you see Fifty Karats in the next 10 years?

In the next 10 years I see Fifty Karats as a dominating figure in society. A store, office, and an incredible team.

14.   Focusing on your craft in fashion, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

My biggest accomplishment is being able to do this for 5 years without any investments or cosign. I’ve been featured in many magazines/blogs that I’ve always wanted to and those placements were never planned they kind of just happened.

15.   You’re only 23 years old and you already have your own fashion line. What else do you plan to work in outside of fashion?

Outside of fashion, I planned on dominating the music space as well amongst other things which are still in its development phase.

[kitchhen-blog]

XAN WITH THAT LEAN

Fredo Santana, born as Derrick Coleman, passed away from a fatal seizure on January 19, 2018. Hip-Hop’s first death of the year. Fredo has been suffering from kidney and liver issues stemming from his use of codeine and promethazine. He was hospitalized in October 2017. Just two months before, hip-hop lost a new rapper that just got on the scene, Lil’ Peep, born as Gustav Elijah Åhr, who passed away from fentanyl overdose on November 15, 2017. Since the recent passings, fans and even other celebrities have made comments on social media about drug use in hip-hop. Twitter debated in threads about the glorification of drugs in hip-hop music and on social media. The debate was simple; hip-hop culture was to blame for drug use. Fans use remained loyal to the musicians in their rebuttal; saying not to blame hip-hop and to not focus on the rapper’s demons but their discography. The topic of drugs and hip-hop revived back into topic from back in 2015 when famous influencer, A$AP Yam$ who passed away from health issues that stemmed from his drug use, like Fredo.

Hip-Hop cannot be blamed for the rapper’s decisions because not ALL artists use drugs nor do they associate the influence to their work. Drugs are drugs and they don’t have a preference for a genre of music or a certain demographic. Before hip-hop was even getting recognized in the 80′s, Rock n Roll offered the fatal fate of drug overdose for musicians. Generations later, we still see artists dying from overdose or accidental overdose of drugs.

The issue of drugs being in music truly originated with mental illness and depression that get overlooked from the flashing lights, screaming fans, flashy jewelry and cars, and the glamorous lifestyle.

As a community, as generation, we need to show more awareness to people struggling with mental illness and depression. It’s not just the fans that are using music to cope with the stresses of life.

[kitchhen-blog]

HOW SHOP BOTS ARE USED TO BUY YEEZY’S

Artificial intelligence has been on a high rise for the last ten years. With so many devices and soft ware programs, artificial intelligence is almost every where. E-commerce companies like Amazon and eBay began to advise their consumers about personalized assistants called “bots.” These “bots” come in different strategic methods: Shop-bots and Chat-bots. These bots give a leverage to buying items online before they sell out.

​Today, we see this happening more in the sneaker community. Online shoppers use bots to buy items in bulk or to fast-click the shoe they want to purchase. Brands like Nike or Adidas could release a new shoe online and online users buy bots to get their shoes. A regular person who would like to buy a pair of Kanye West’s YEEZY sneaker now has to compete with an online boutique or user that has a bot. A regular person can click only one time to purchase the shoe, whereas, a bot sends 100 clicks per second, making the chances of purchasing the shoe greater.

This is Josh, he explains to me how he uses his shop bot.

[aaliyahsources]

[kitchhen-blog]

Coachellaaaaaaaa

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to experience Coachella 2018, the biggest music festival in California headlong Beyoncé! The Weeknd! Eminem! I went for Weekend 2 (4/20-4/22) and amongst the performances I got a few good camera shots. Although, I did see the amazing Beyonce, my favorite performances were Tyler the Creator, Kelela, Jorja Smith and Miguel. Regardless of the desert heat, the large mass of people, long lines and sand storms, I had a blast. It’s always nice to get a refresher of culture. Many people have their talk about Coachella being overrated, gentrified, or outdated but they pull through every time. There were barely long lines for the food trucks because there were so many food trucks and food vendors! The crowd seemed satisfied with the atmosphere as everyone hung out in the chill beer garden. Different people of different cultures were able to come together to celebrate the one passion they both adored: music. The line up for Coachella was not only impressive but it was also a perfect mix of good vibes and “yolo” times. I often talked with many strangers just for the sake of making conversation and I even became friends with a few! California is the home of sunny skies and palm trees and the rocking festivals! />

[kitchhen-blog]

FRANK OCEAN SUPPORTS VOTERS DURING MID-TERMS

The internet literally stops when the talented mystery man who crafted the platinum recorded album Blonde, resurfaces to share a new project or new ideas.

In highlight of Tuesday’s Election Day, Frank Ocean’s “blonded RADIO” returned to BEATS 1 on Apple Music. Hosted by Ocean and Vegyn, were three separate podcast specials: a morning show, an evening show, and a third “luxury bonus episode,” for fans to stream as they voted and as election results came in.

During the show, Frank uploaded an image to his tumblr that enclosed details to merchandise pop up locations in Houston, Miami, Atlanta and Dallas. It was a flyer that read “42% WHEREVER YOU ARE. COME OUT”. The flyer explained the four cities were chosen to support specific candidates. Stacey Abrams in Georgia, who if elected would be America’s first black female governor, Andrew Gillium, who would be Florida’s first black governor and Beto O’Rourke who would be the first democratic senator in Texas in 24 years.

It was an opportunity to receive free merchandise from Frank Ocean. FREE MERCH simply because “God Bless America”. Free merch with proof that you voted, however. It was such an impactful event. Hundreds of people came out, young and old, joining lines for Blonded shirts and stickers from Frank Ocean. When Frank Ocean is hosting an event you run, you run and you don’t look back. You don’t ask questions, you just do it.

Many people in Miami went out to vote in hopes to receive free Blonded shirts from the under radar artist.

It’s one thing when musicians and celebrity influencers tell you to vote but it’s another ball park when they give you free merchandise and incentives if you voted.

Frank acknowledged the power of his influence towards our generation. “I think it’s a shared choral sound, the voice of this generation,” he said. “It’s never lost on me, some of the radical parts of my existence, this moment in pop music and in pop culture.”

Frank is not only a genius but he is for the people. The young people, the weird people, the out casted, the ones that doesn’t think their voices are being heard, the black people, the queer people, the suppressed people, the misunderstood people. This was an uplifting moment. To encourage the voice we all have inside of us.

Thank you, Frank for examplifying the action behind the thought. He wasn’t just saying “vote or die”, he was saying “vote and be counted or miss out”.

Truly inspirational. Truly an icon within our time.

[kitchhen-blog]

Coachellaaaaaaaa

I was fortunate enough to get a chance to experience Coachella 2018, the biggest music festival in California headlong Beyoncé! The Weeknd! Eminem! I went for Weekend 2 (4/20-4/22) and amongst the performances I got a few good camera shots. Although, I did see the amazing Beyonce, my favorite performances were Tyler the Creator, Kelela, Jorja Smith and Miguel. Regardless of the desert heat, the large mass of people, long lines and sand storms, I had a blast. It’s always nice to get a refresher of culture. Many people have their talk about Coachella being overrated, gentrified, or outdated but they pull through every time. There were barely long lines for the food trucks because there were so many food trucks and food vendors! The crowd seemed satisfied with the atmosphere as everyone hung out in the chill beer garden. Different people of different cultures were able to come together to celebrate the one passion they both adored: music. The line up for Coachella was not only impressive but it was also a perfect mix of good vibes and “yolo” times. I often talked with many strangers just for the sake of making conversation and I even became friends with a few! California is the home of sunny skies and palm trees and the rocking festivals! The weather was perfect, the ambiance during the sunset of Vince Staples set lit hearts. During the night night, Tyler got everyone pumped with “ Who Dat Boy?!” Along with bringing out the young heartthrob ASAP Rocky. />

[kitchhen-blog]

HOW SHOP BOTS ARE USED TO BUY YEEZY’S

Artificial intelligence has been on a high rise for the last ten years. With so many devices and soft ware programs, artificial intelligence is almost every where. E-commerce companies like Amazon and eBay began to advise their consumers about personalized assistants called “bots.” These “bots” come in different strategic methods: Shop-bots and Chat-bots. These bots give a leverage to buying items online before they sell out.

​Today, we see this happening more in the sneaker community. Online shoppers use bots to buy items in bulk or to fast-click the shoe they want to purchase. Brands like Nike or Adidas could release a new shoe online and online users buy bots to get their shoes. A regular person who would like to buy a pair of Kanye West's YEEZY sneaker now has to compete with an online boutique or user that has a bot. A regular person can click only one time to purchase the shoe, whereas, a bot sends 100 clicks per second, making the chances of purchasing the shoe greater.

This is Josh, he explains to me how he uses his shop bot.

[kitchhen-blog]

XAN WITH THAT LEAN

Fredo Santana, born as Derrick Coleman, passed away from a fatal seizure on January 19, 2018. Hip-Hop’s first death of the year. Fredo has been suffering from kidney and liver issues stemming from his use of codeine and promethazine. He was hospitalized in October 2017. Just two months before, hip-hop lost a new rapper that just got on the scene, Lil’ Peep, born as Gustav Elijah Åhr, who passed away from fentanyl overdose on November 15, 2017. Since the recent passings, fans and even other celebrities have made comments on social media about drug use in hip-hop. Twitter debated in threads about the glorification of drugs in hip-hop music and on social media. The debate was simple; hip-hop culture was to blame for drug use. Fans use remained loyal to the musicians in their rebuttal; saying not to blame hip-hop and to not focus on the rapper’s demons but their discography. The topic of drugs and hip-hop revived back into topic from back in 2015 when famous influencer, A$AP Yam$ who passed away from health issues that stemmed from his drug use, like Fredo.

Hip-Hop cannot be blamed for the rapper’s decisions because not ALL artists use drugs nor do they associate the influence to their work. Drugs are drugs and they don’t have a preference for a genre of music or a certain demographic. Before hip-hop was even getting recognized in the 80′s, Rock n Roll offered the fatal fate of drug overdose for musicians. Generations later, we still see artists dying from overdose or accidental overdose of drugs.

The issue of drugs being in music truly originated with mental illness and depression that get overlooked from the flashing lights, screaming fans, flashy jewelry and cars, and the glamorous lifestyle.

As a community, as generation, we need to show more awareness to people struggling with mental illness and depression. It’s not just the fans that are using music to cope with the stresses of life.

[kitchhen-blog]

FIFTY KARATS

Udo Ihem, 23, is a Florida native who created his own clothing brand, Fifty Karats, in 2012. The fashion label is rooted in athletic, casual wear with a mix of street style. Built from the ground up, Ihem has been able to feature his brand collections with popular Hip-Hop musicians like Tory Lanez, Kodak Black and Twelve’len. Fifty Karats grew its popularity internationally with the eye-catching “Make Money Not Friends” print design. Ihem focuses on incorporating balance and moderation into his collections. Over the last year, his online boutique has been featured generated over $100,000 in revenue and has been features in magazines like GQ, Hypebeast, and NY Times.

Fashion and music have become synonymous. This digital age has formed a creative space for millennials to become entrepreneurs by captivating a large following on social media platforms.

It is an honor to interview a fellow colleague of mine who inspires fashion and music.  

Get to know the mastermind behind “Make Money Not Friends”.

1.       Fifty Karats. How did you come up with that name?

I came up with the name around the premise of the 24 karats being the purest form of gold and I wanted my brand to stand for being be better than the “best”. So I needed any number higher than 24 really and “Fifty” sounded nice to me. Fifty Karats means to be better than the best you. Pushing your limits and achieving the things you may have not thought you can accomplish.

2.       When did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in fashion?

It wasn’t something I expected it kind of just happened. I woke up one day and I was in the fashion industry. I love what I do and everyone wears clothes.

3.       Who and which things influences your designs?

My designs are influenced really by my everyday life. There’s been a lot of movie references throughout my collections. Quentin Tarantino would definitely be one of those people. Also, a huge influence of mine is Massimo Vignelli.

4.       What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when starting out? What are you still learning as creative designer?

My biggest mistake starting out I would say was not keeping track of everything around business wise and I’m still learning about patience. Just taking more time developing projects.

5.       How does music play a role in your creative designs?

Music plays a huge role for me. The music sets the tone for the creative process and the overall presentation.

6.       What role do you think social media plays in fashion today?

Social media is fashion now. Social media controls what's popular not necessarily what's good.

7.       What work ethics do you believe in following while working with fashion?

The work ethic for anything major that you're trying to build has to match whatever goal you're trying to reach. It’s that simple.

8.       How do you handle the pressure of creating fresh and original ideas?

Whenever I feel any type of “tension” within myself that's when I know that I need a break. Also, relaxation as well as uncomfortably will always be a breeding ground of fresh ideas.

9.       If you can choose anyone to model your clothes, preferably someone in music, who would it be?

If I could choose anyone in music to model my clothes it would easily be Kid Cudi hands down.

10.   “Make Money Not Friends” is very popular on an international level. How do you manage maintaining your copy-right to the slogan in other countries? What goes through your mind when you find people trying to plagiarize your brand?

None of it is easy and I'm still learning about the legal process as I go along.

11.   What should we expect from your new collection? What will be your message?

This new collection commemorates Fifty Karats’s 5th year anniversary and it’ll be more focused on Fifty Karats designs.

12.   Are you interested in having a runway show?

At the moment a runways show isn’t something i’m too interested in.

13.   Where do you see Fifty Karats in the next 10 years?

In the next 10 years I see Fifty Karats as a dominating figure in society. A store, office, and an incredible team.

14.   Focusing on your craft in fashion, what accomplishment are you most proud of?

My biggest accomplishment is being able to do this for 5 years without any investments or cosign. I’ve been featured in many magazines/blogs that I’ve always wanted to and those placements were never planned they kind of just happened.

15.   You’re only 23 years old and you already have your own fashion line. What else do you plan to work in outside of fashion?

Outside of fashion, I planned on dominating the music space as well amongst other things which are still in its development phase.

[kitchhen-blog]

2/24/18 Taking the stage: the star before the shine. Releasing her anxiety right before she goes on stage. “The most important part of performing is taking the seconds before you on to ground your feet, lift your head, inhale positivity and let gravity expel your body into the universe”-Siren.

The Ultimate Kickback in Hollywood, FL showcased local artist by hosting a performance show. Headlining the event were Ryan G, Jav & Spitz, and Luke. Among the performances were my friend, Siren. 

[kitchhen-blog]

Sources (@rihannainfinity) dished Kendrick Lamar and Rihanna are said to be sitting next to each other at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards show on Sunday, January 28, 2018.