SharkTheBat

Hey Girl

[sharkthebat]

I got a chance to catch up with a good friend of mine by the name of, Asato Iida. This guy’s story is blatantly inspirational. He’s done work with clothing brands such as Obey, XLarge, and way, way, way more than you know! He’s a huge fan of music, especially Jazz and Hip-Hop. Although, in this interview you will get to learn a bit about him. It still does no justice as compared to when you meet him in person.

I remember you telling me that your grandmother got you into photography, could you speak on that a bit more?

Yes. My grandmother was working in different industries. One of her jobs was a photographer for boxing and her photos were sometimes on old Japanese boxing magazine. Around 2008 or 2009, I have asked her if she still have her camera that she was using and she was willing to give that to me; and the condition of the camera was great. I have started taking photos with her camera.

When I was at your place you played some jazz records. Who are some of your favorite jazz musicians?

This is a tough question, there are million of great jazz musicians.. 50’s through early 80’s Jazz are my type.

You make beats, right? What got you into making them?

My older brother was always playing 80’s & 90’s hip-hop back in the day and thats how I started listening to hip-hop. I wasn’t into gangsta rap too much, I really liked Native Tongues. It was more positive vibes and fun on the lyrics. When I was in high school, I was playing in a band and started thinking that I wanted to be a recording engineer who’s behind the scenes of music industry. After I graduated high school, I started going to school to learn recording. I figured out a lot of producers use the AKAI MPC. I thought sampling was a new art form. I went to a music store, bought a MPC, and started sampling.

What goes through your mind when taking photos?

I don’t think anything actually. I click shutter when I feel thats the moment.

You have any favorite photographers?

Daido Moriyama.

Asato Iida, 28

IG: asatoiida

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Shark, 20

IG: sharkthebat

Photo Credit: Anonymous

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Shark, 20

Photographer-IG: smctak

Richmond, VA 

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“I honestly just want to have fun.”

Shark, 20

Photographer - IG: smctak

[sharkthebat]

“So the actual reason I went out and bought painting supplies was because of a picture I saw on Instagram. It was like a green hand making a peace sign on a blue background I was like damn that’s cool and I copied it. I did that for a while with acrylics copying simple designs and weird abstract shapes. I did that for about 5 months but I seriously wanted to start using oils it wasn’t until I accidentally stumbled upon a blog/ artist which to this day is one of my favorite artists. She paints a lot of portraits her name is Mariella. I remember messaging her asking advice on paint and styles and just motivation. She helped a lot but I think in her shoes she was just answering a random persons questions. It funny how stuff like that works. But I would try doing portraits of my favorite rappers the first one I did was of earl sweatshirt. Looking back at it now it was the shittiest painting  ever. But I kept going it was a hobby for me. I struggled so much for about a year and I’m only about a year and a half into all of this. Some advice I would give to anyone struggling with art and finding a style is that you seriously cannot force that shit. Because if you do that’s when the worst stuff is made and I know this from so many experiences. It sounds fake or corny when I say it just happens but it does. Like copying is good for practice I did that a lot until I got the hang of it. And if you do something without emotion then there’s no point because then you won’t want to finish it or it won’t be the best that it can be. Having emotion behind something doesn’t just mean you have to be really sad to make something good. You can be happy and something will come out just as amazing. These are things I wish I knew when I was starting out. There were so many times where I wanted to stop because I was just copying pictures and not making anything original but I kept going because this is what I’m passionate about. I’m also really luck to have positive people around me who support me. They understand what I’m trying to do even though my family doesn’t. It’s hard to be like mom I want to be an artist and have her laugh in your face and tell you that’s not a career. I didn’t look at making art as a serious career until I made stickers and sold them. It started getting more serious when I made shirts and saw a lot of people were fucking with my designs. And then it got even crazier when I got commissioned to do a tattoo design. That was like the craziest thing to me and I couldn’t believe it. Slowly I started hand stitching hats and that turned in to  hand stitching shirts and more people wear my stuff. I’ve made a decent amount of money and spread the word slowly through my school. But this isn’t enough, this is only the beginning. I have a lot of projects an cool commissions I’ve done but aren’t out yet that I’m excited about”

- Claudia

Claudia, 18

IG: calud.t

[sharkthebat]

“I really hate people asking if I’m lost.” 

Shark, 20 IG:sharkthebat Photographer - IG: smctak

[sharkthebat]

You already know I love me some BBC/Ice Cream. Man that whole era of bling-bling was damn near like Slick Rick just getting on TV to remind you, you ain’t shit. I remember everybody was going crazy for Ice Cream shoes and the die-hard fans had all the early season gear that released. Over time, ever since I was young (6th Grade) my love for BBC/Ice Cream grew larger and larger. I had a chance to speak with one of the employee’s of BBC/Ice Cream in Japan. He’s a really talented guy at photography. Definitely not your average Japanese guy. His interest caught me very off guard. I’m talking about the great, Hiroki Yanai. I will give a disclaimer, this interview will be shown in Japanese. Therefore, I will leave a link to Google Translator. If it doesn’t work, do yourself a favor and translate it online for yourself.

Google Translator: https://translate.google.com

あなたがファッションの方法だったのですか？

私は、ファッションの多様性を好みます。ラフドレスアップモードから、広い範囲を身に着けています。

どのようにBBC / ICE CREAM私はのために働き始めたのですか？

初めて店に行くためには、そのようにツイッターにて後日ルックでいったん募集スタッフだった、私は挑戦されました。

あなたのような、彼らのために仕事を始めた前に、私はあなたがBBC /アイスクリームを着用している育ちましたか？

初めてそれは約5年前に、与えられた知っています。それは雑誌に記載されていたので、私は知っています。いわゆる、一目惚れです。

写真撮影に何？

それは思い出を作っています。私は瞬間を記録したいので、今は今そこにあるからです。

あなたの音楽を楽しんでいますか？

広く日本の音楽を海外の音楽から話を聞きます。しかし、日本のポップが嫌いです。ポップ歌詞罰金スキルです。第1は、よく日本のヒップホップ＆ラップ聞きます。

ジャンルやアーティストのどのような？

日本/ Kohh /アナーキー 海外/ FetteyのWAP /カニエ・ウェスト

あなたが任意の好きな服のブランドを持っていますか？

洋服だけBBC / ICECREAMを身に着けていません。 シューズはVISVIM /アディダス/バン/逆が好きです

Hiroki Yanai, 25

IG: hiroki_bbc

[sharkthebat]

Yo, this is Posh. I’m taking over the blog while Shark does whatever the fuck he does. Anyways, I’m so glad I had a chance to do an interview with Thrash himself. This is really the only guy that I look up to in the fashion world, hands down. The way he put different types of colors and shapes together in his clothes is very mind blowing. When you look at his work you’re going to respect it. Even though most people would think his style is weird, but in reality he just being different. He’s one of the main reason why I got into fashion because he doesn’t mind looking different from other people. Besides, looking different is way cooler then looking like everyone else.

Posh: Where are you from? 

Thrash: I’m originally from a small town in Georgia named Hawkinsville. 

Posh: What got you into fashion? 

Thrash: I was always a well dressed person but not so much into fashion. I would say when Kanye hit the scene is when I started taking a more aggressive approach to actual “fashion”. He made it seem cool for straight guys to be into fashion.

Posh: Were you a lady’s man back in your prime days?

Thrash: Lol. Yeah if I would say so myself. 

Posh: What are you up to right know? 

Thrash: Currently I’m styling 2 clients for the Emmy’s. 

Posh: Do you want to change the fashion world? 

Thrash: Yes. I want to make menswear just as important as women’s. 

Posh: What was your favorite outfit you put together past & present? 

Thrash: Present day, I would say this outfit I work with a pair of mint green slacks with a floral tapestry best and my biker jacket. Past, I would say the first time I walked into Ralph Lauren and bought a complete outfit with my own money. It was a yellow polo shirt with horizontal navy stripes and a pale blue polo logo. I bought the matching pale blue cargo shorts and pair of thick white polo socks with a navy logo. I wore this with a pair of 2-toned tan Sperry’s.  I was in high school and the time and thought that was the cleanest I had ever been.

Posh: Did any of your ex’s try to come back into your life? 

Thrash: No. Not recently. 

Posh: Where did the hairstyle idea come from?

Thrash: I didn’t really have an idea that it would come out the way it has. I just started letting it grow and over the years it transforms into different things.

Posh: Did anybody try to touch your hair? 

Thrash: Yes all the time.

Posh: How would you like for people to remember you?

Thrash: I want to be remember as the guy who encouraged and influenced me to be the best person I could possibly. Style wise, creatively, and morally.

[sharkthebat]

“ I can honestly say in the recent years, although we live in 2016, it often feels like the 60′s in a modern way. It’s crazy that we all seem to be on the topic of race. Yet, we’re all apart of the same species. I guess that’s what baffles me the most. It’s propaganda all over again. We constantly blame media (what’s seen on TV) for the issues we’re facing, but we constantly and repeatedly forget that writing, internet, and etc. all plays the same role in this situation. Personally, I have friends of all types of races. We often speak on our current situations whether good or bad. But, what really scares me is the fact that if two people of two different races just happened to walk by one another; the thoughts that would cross both of their minds would be a bit disturbing. Say one person was black and the other was asian. I could almost guarantee that both thoughts would be based on stereotypes, even if it’s subconsciously. The black person thinking, “Man this person is probably rich out the ass. Nice house, nice family. The perfect movie-type family. I bet they don't deal with even half the shit I deal with. They probably have it all. If only it were that easy for me”. The asian thinking, “Should I be worried that they might attack me? They’re probably a criminal on the prowl for victims. I bet they live in a one bed room apartment with close to nothing for furniture. They probably work at a fast food place, that is, if they even have a job. Or are they unemployed? They might even have two kids from two different people. Who knows”? In no way was this statement meant to be racist, but I’m just proving a point. What’s crazy is that both of them could be in the same exact situation and not even realize it. But due to so much conditioning by damn near anything with a fucking screen or anything that can be read, they’re thoughts are just corrupt towards one another. We really have to stop this shit, before it gets even worse. The mind is a powerful thing, we must learn to be wise with it. “

Shark, 20

IG:sharkthebat

Photographer - IG: smctak

[sharkthebat]

As some of you may know, I’m a huge MF DOOM fan. This is hands down one of his best songs throughout of his discography. The name of the song is “Potholderz” from his album entitled “MM.. Food?”. Of course I loved DOOM’s verse on this song, but who’s I loved even more was Count Bass D’s. His flow was on some next level shit for me. This is the very first song that put me onto Count Bass D. And I must say he’s fucking dope. He got this album called “Dwight Spitz” from 2002. Oh man, that shit is fucking great. Trust me, if you fuck with DOOM, you will fucking be blown away by Count Bass D. Luckily, I was able to have a brief interview with him. He truly lives up to his name. He tells a bit about him self and even fills me in on how the “Potholderz” song came about. See for yourself.

Me: I first discovered you through a MF DOOM song entitled "Potholderz" from his album "MM.. Food?", could you tell me how that came about and what went down during the creative process of the track?

CBD: DOOM asked me to make a lot of beats for a project he was thinking about putting together. “Potholderz” was a song I made and didn’t think anyone would like. The space where DOOM says his verse originally was just scratching. After DOOM heard that song he said he was working on a project about food and my song would fit perfectly. I removed the scratches, he added his verse and it was a great thing.

Me: I read somewhere that you used college as a gateway to record your demo tape, if that's true, could you elaborate on that please?

CBD: After my first semester in college I realized that there were many prerequisite courses that were needed before I could get into the studio to record. I didn’t plan on waiting that long to get my career going. Instead of focusing on class, my plan was to network with as many people who already had access so that I could record a demo tape. School was room and board only for the second semester. The songs I recorded helped me meet others who would eventually help me get an official demo tape together.

Me: What music were you listening to growing up and/or before deciding to create music yourself?

CBD: Church music. My father is a preacher and I heard musicians play in church a few times a week. It was all I knew before I started hearing friends singing Jackson 5 songs on the bus in Kindergarten. When I was four, I felt I could do what I had been watching the musicians do and I’ve been trying to get better ever since.

Me: What are your other interests outside of music?

CBD: Music was my only interest for a long time. After I started doing it for a living I had to find other interests that were pure and not tainted by money. I began to cook more often and I also began to work out.

Me: Is there anything you'd like to say to the people viewing this?

CBD: Thank you for reading what I had to say. I have a new album available everywhere called “Instantly New”. My first vocal album in 5 years completely produced by me and no guests. I can be followed anywhere @countbassd and I follow everyone back. 

[sharkthebat]

Hollywood Horrors (Homesick)

sharkthebat.tumblr.com twitter.com/sharkthebat IG:sharkthebat

New song I’ve been holding onto for a while. 

[sharkthebat]

My nigga, Jas in the cut.

Jas, 21

IG:itsjustjas_

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Shark, 20

IG:sharkthebat

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“No taking pictcha in sto'." 

 Sal, 21 

 IG: theblueeyedrussian

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My bro, Posh had a great photoshoot in Atlanta, Georgia.

Posh, 21

IG:blum.house6

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What more could I say? I love these photos and I love my homies.

Posh, 21

IG:blum.house6

[sharkthebat]

This dude, George Duke changed my life. He makes some of the most beautiful sounds. Here's a quick video of the work he can produce. I really hope you guys enjoy!