Hesta Hesta, Read All About It

step 1: turn on Hesta Prynn

step 2: let it marinate through your musical veins

step 3: are you dancing yet?

New York's Hesta Prynn is a firecracker, not just because of her red hair, but because her music is hot! It's got elements of indie hip-hop, progressive pop, and electro. If you dig Santigold, M.I.A. and Miike Snow, you'll like Hesta Prynn. She was the former MC of the all girl hip-hop group Northern State releasing three albums with the band.

In 2008 Hesta Prynn went her own way, and her solo project was born. Teaming up with producer Chuck Brody of the Wu-Tang Clan, Hesta created her debut album, "Seven Sisters."

Stand out tracks include the title track, "Can We Go Wrong,"and "Motive." It's all a pretty good listen. Get your dance on, and LISTEN UP BELOW!

Check out the Hesta Prynn Myspace Page too.

OMG SHOES!

Target is at it again! Another collaboration is in the mix, Dolce Vita shoes for Target. If they aren't already sold out, these sweet shoes are available right now at the new Target that opened it's doors in East Harlem today. There's a rumor they might be somewhere in LA...

They officially hit select stores on August 22nd, and will eventually trickle to remaining stores. The price will make your feet and your wallet happy. Prices range from $29.99 to $34.99. If you want to guarantee yourself a pair, the studded oxfords are on sale for pre-order right now on Target.com.

However, if you believe in quality over quantity and want the real thing, check out Dolce Vita's shoe collection online. If you thought the Target collection was cool, then you're in for treat.

Now that we're on shoe overload...OMG Shoes.

Everything and more...

Bloc Party's frontman, Kele, has been doing his solo thing for a minute, and thus far the talk has been all good. His debut solo album, The Boxer, which hit stores and the web on yesterday, is more electro-driven than the guitar laden tracks of Bloc Party.

The Boxer isn't a total departure from his signature sound though so fans will not be displeased. You might mistake it for a new Bloc Party album...His newest single "Everything You Wanted" will be officially released in August, but in the online world, you can check it out in seconds. In fact, you can check out the video for the single below.

There is beauty in sorrow...

Musical Democracy

The new Broken Social Scene video for "Meet Me in the Basement" is louder than words and lyrics could ever be. The super group recently released this fan-made video mash-up depicting the crumbling state of the society that we live in.

The song comes off of their recently released album, Forgiveness Rock Record. A Broken Social Scene loving fan decided to make the video in response to some of the bands' comments about our turbulent times.

The video is in response to the June G-20 Toronto Summit where riots and police-civilian violence ensued. The video mashes footage of the riots, and the issues that we currently are facing that will eventually culminate into something far greater than we could see or know.

In between the serious issues in the video, the anonymous maker throws in the Justin Biebers, and celebrities we have as media distractions. The video sends a glaring message. Don't eat at Murder King! Watch out for Obama girl, and open your eyes, but first, watch the video...

The Rhode to Everywhere

David Rhodes' many passions have taken him on one journey after another. Snowboarding led to photography, which led to music, and making movies, and now he can add shoe designer to his list. amfm came across Rhodes for his collaboration with Keds, featuring a series of prints inspired by the future, the universe, and some of Rhodes nature imagery.

Aside from some sick shoes, this guy makes sick art! He is most widely known for his abstract photography of nature, music and cell phone art. Yes, that's right cell phone art...I too was a little skeptical at first, and a little confused as to what exactly cell phone art is, but I've seen it. And I'm not quite sure how he does it, but I'll tell you one thing, I like it. See for yourself at his website...

In his cellphone art collection "Music," the raw photos are taken at various concerts, taken in what appears to be a negative film effect that makes images appear neon. The photos are taken at just the right moment to either transpose the image or capture it in it's essence. "Creation" (above) is the first abstract picture he took with a cellphone at a 311 concert back in 2007. He says on his web site that that one photo "created a life of it's own."

He got some very cool shots at shows like 311, Rage against the Machine, and of Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Not your typical band shots either, whether you like these bands or not, the art alone is cool enough. His other collections are just as inspiring. They inspire you to look at nature through a different lens, and you see the world a different way, the way Rhodes wants you to see it.

ISSUE 2 IS HERE!

It's that time again!

ISSUE 2: http://www.amfm-mag.com

After all the work, technical problems and time setbacks, Issue Two of amfm has launched! You know that saying, patience is a virtue? That saying pretty much sums up the making of the second issue of amfm, for me as the editor, for the fans, and the artists featured in this issue. With the first issue coming out way back in December, this one’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here!

amfm has come a long way since the first issue. We have moved to the California coast, built a greater fan base, and have transformed from college magazine to the real world of print. We are even on Facebook now! Issue two is bigger and better than I could have ever imagined. amfm has a bunch of new features for you to read!

In this issue's art section we have features on nationally recognized LEGO artist, Nathan Sawaya and Sacramento LEGO prodigy David Tracy. We also explore the human figure and mind with Kim Loper in our the "Artist of the Month" feature. Find out what happens when art and clothing collide in the Mike Hoffmann feature on his clothing line Perked Nation, and learn to see the world through Freako Rico's art colored lenses. Our photography feature this issue comes from Adrian Quezaire's Second City series featuring Chicago through a lens.

In this issue's music section we've got features on flamenco guitarist and traveling musician, Evan Christian. Our "Artist of the Month" feature is on California band Nico Vega, who's music and words of wisdom will pluck more than just a musical string. amfm singles out four of it's favorite DJs in this issue, with Q&A's with Clockwork, OCD Automatic, DJ Fortune and DJ Charlie Hustle. We also explore what happens when two DJs team up and form a duo. Moneypenny is what happens.

In this issue's fashion section we chat it up with 410 BC, an clothing and skate company that puts the indie in fashion, while spreading their ethical message to the masses. As long as we are being ethical, amfm did a whole feature on eco-friendly fashion companies. We featured Brooklyn record recyclers WrecordsByMonkeys, Brazilian plastic shoe company, Melissa Plastic Dreams, and a Vancouver clothing line using recycled clothing to make clothing, Adhesif. There's also a feature on the coolest leggings you will ever see from maSh leggings designer, Kelsey Witte. And of course some style along the way in our Scene N Style section.

CHECK IT OUT!

Fashion That Kills

These shoes bring the whole beauty is pain saying to an entirely different level! By combining heels with spikes, studs, zippers and wooden accents, if looks could kill, these shoes would make you drop dead instantly, because they are jaw dropping...

I'm talking about the killer pumps by Ruthie Davis, a shoe obsessed designer who has been bringing on the fierce since she was two years old and fell in love with her first pair of mary-janes. After starting her shoe line in 2006, Davis's shoes have caught the attention of some of the fiercest in the land like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga.

"Ruthie' s muse is the sassy, central female heroine from comic books or James Bond type movies who is decked out in mini dresses or cat-suits, but always wearing fabulous shoes and ready for action," it says on the designer profile on her web site.

The shoes definitely reflect the type of woman described, the type that can kick your ass! Not to mention if you happened to be a woman wearing these and you were attacked, the shoes can have your back and definitely come in handy as a weapon of defense...

Check out more of her designs here.

Union Park Gets Indie

Today kicks off the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago's Union Park. Union park will go indie for a weekend with artists and fans alike opening their eyes and ears for yet another epic music festival experience.

Some great performances are sure to take place this weekend; the fest has Broken Social Scene, Major Lazer, Modest Mouse, LCD Soundsystem, Wolf Parade, Robyn, Best Coast, and Big Boi on the hip hop front, just to name a few.

Pitchfork definitely beats the heat of Bonnaroo, and like Bonnaroo, you can stream the performances from the festival on the Pitchfork web site. Just launch the video player and you're set to be transported to musical glory.

GO TO PITCHFORK LIVE!

The Summer of Converse

So we last posted about the "All Summer" song, the Converse collaboration with Kid Cudi, Vampire Weekend's Rostam and Best Coast. Now we've got a video to put the song to!

The spirit of the video matches the fun-loving vibe of the song. The trio looks like they're having a blast rocking out together with their big bobble-like heads. They look like three best friends creating some havoc on a lazy summer afternoon. Check out the video below!

Listen All Summer Long

With the Fourth of July just passing, it really is starting to feel like summer. Summer is an institution of freedom, youth, and being carefree, as are Converse Chuck Taylors. So it was all too fitting when Converse called on rapper Kid Cudi, Best Coast's Bethany Cosentino, and Vampire Weekend's Rostam Batmanglij to create a song that would embody the two.

The collaborative effort "All Summer" is available for download exclusively at the Converse web site. Listen to it, download it, drive in your car with the top down to it...This is the soundtrack of your summer!

(Remember last year's Converse collabo with Pharrell, Santigold, and Julian Casablancas? Here's a lil something to refresh your memory...)

Art Never Dies

Today one of the most renowned Mexican artists, the great Frida Kahlo, would have been 103 years old.

Her vibrant and powerful paintings have stood the test of time, like the strong woman who painted them survived polio and a tragic crash in her lifetime. It's like she infused emotion within the paint, you can see the raw passion and pain on her palette.

Famous for her self portraits, and of course the infamous uni brow, Kahlo didn't gain art recognition until after her death. Her art proves that her legacy will live on, and that art truly never dies.

The Baddest Chick

amfm has been obsessed with Nicki Minaj lately! There hasn't been a female MC like this since Lil' Kim, and Minaj isn't afraid to say it. Her song "Your Love"topped the charts making Billboard history as the first song to hit # 1 on the rap charts by a female MC in over 7 years. The fact that she used an Annie Lennox sample from "No More I Love You's" makes the song even better!

As one of Lil' Wayne's Young Money moguls, Minaj is no stranger to the music scene. She is the next it girl of rap and hip-hop, which is why it was no surprise to learn that she and M.I.A. collaborated on "Teqkilla (Lost my fone out wiv Nicki Minaj Remix)," the latest song to be released from M.I.A.'s upcoming album. It's a killer track! These two need to hang out more often...

You can listen and download the song over at the NEET blog, M.I.A's record label. And just to add fuel to the obsession here's the song for Minaj's "Your Love" below.

Tightrope Tuesdays

Remember that Janelle Monae "Tightrope" remix we posted a couple of weeks ago? Yeah, the one with B.o.B and Lupe Fiasco!

Well if you're a fan of Monae and her sassy style and soulful vocals, you're in for a treat.

The official video for the song was recently released, and you can check out the video below in classic black and white, bow tie included.