Art, Music & Fugazi // Day Two at SXSW

/ SXSW/

CWatSXSW Day Two:

Spotted! Celebrities everywhere and we want parts!

Benzino, Kap G, Bre-Z, 5ive Mics, T.I. and some other names y'all ain't ready for were all in the mix downtown Austin.

Our exploration lead us to Art, Music, Fashion, and Culture. All the things we live for.  

We flipped the script rapping bars for local artists in exchange for dope street beauty shots. 

Our interview with tech savvy boss ladies at Hyphen- Labs is bound to be a great article, and we must add how we all looked hella fly walking down these Austin Streets. Who is going to put us on a fashion blog?

The action is where the people are and the SXSW energy is proving to be contagious. The elements are all stacking up...it's the lifestyle. 

Dirty:

Crystal coded jaguar statues, kimchi french fries with bomb fried tofu, and chit chats with boss ladies and celebrities...OH MY!  Heaven is this you? 

Day 2 at SXSW was my style of exploration. #PopAustin gallery was so refreshing. I got my daily dose of art with a side of complementary Step & Repeat selfie booth and color changing lights - Everywhere we go its a photo shoot!  Stopped into Luxe Apothecary Boutique. I almost spazzed, but I recovered, only walking out with one frame of Geechie sunglasses. My virtual reality experience provided by the ladies of Hyphen-Labs, made me feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the world as a women of color ( I cant wait for you guys to read my interview with the team). Once again 6th street was poppin, but y'all have got to stop handing me mixtapes. I only have TWO hands! Email me that shit, QR Code, or somethin! #UPDATEYOURHUSTSLE2017

I think my favorite part of the day was my chat with Hustle Gang's 5ive Mics. We had previously met a few years back in the MKE airport and he is just a very pleasant and interesting gangsta so running into him again here at SXSW was cool. S/O's to 5ive. 

I hope today at SX we can amplify this feeling... Imma need my kimchi on a taco while i'm sitting on a giraffe made of diamonds. Clearly anything can happen in Austin. Weird!!!!

Freakish: The art in the city is so fresh. So many little random pop up galleries and street paintings on walls, I know I'm going to come home looking at Milwaukee like...

I had the BEST tofu. It was marinated and fried and just yes. Pure yes. Walked 5.7 miles around the same 6 blocks. I don't know what St. Patrick's Day is like on Water Street in Milwaukee, but St. Patty's down here? SO MANY PEOPLE. We got tricked.

SIXTH STREET // From the balcony

SIXTH STREET // From the balcony

Syn wanted to go to 5th Street first and ease into 6th. 5th was cool. Walked in to this Russian theme bar with a wall of "Bertie Botts Every Flavor Vodka (from Peach and Mango to Mixed Nuts and Horseradish)" and saw this dope group call OSHUN. They're like a Neo-soul/Rapping/singing/Black Excellence duo. I'm sure somebody will link their Instagram right here. Literally got called into the bar from the sound of Trumpets and Electric Rhodes. THEN WE MADE THE MISTAKE OF GOING TO DIRTY SIX. So many people. So much skin. So many smells. So many things on the ground. We literally moved to higher ground for safety in a bar on the corner. We didn't make it off the corner!

Starting to feel a little claustrophobic down here. I need to see more of the city. Maybe a rest day. Austin is wild, B.

Syn:

Day Two was interesting to the say the least.

In every city I visit, I need to see the art. Whether that's the graffiti, the fashion or even a painting; I need to see it alive in the city. Day Two brought exploration of exhibits along with a really cool mixture of art and technology (Have you ever done VR at an art show?)

We interviewed a dope group of female boss ladies. Got really amazing food from Chi'lantro, a food truck. Peeped some celebrities.... I was called a "Gangster" by Love & Hip Hop Star Benzino. Got posted on Shea Moisture Instagram page for my hair. ☺️ Saw OSHUN and the LIVE LIFE LOUD band kill the stage. Witnessed an apocalypse amount of people on Sixth Street while TIP and Hustle Gang made sure their presence in the city was known with a quick walk-thru. & we celebrated my people (Happy St Patrick's Day y'all.) 

CW at SXSW // Day One

/ SXSW/

We're on our adventure and exploring Austin, Texas like real hipsters, who love music, haven't been in heat in months, and can't stop staring at all the dopeness.

Day One at SXSW:

"Look at that yo!" was probably the tagline of the day, besides the epic reference to support local business, "Keep Austin Weird." Everything was eye catching, and random; just the way we like it. 

Austin SXSW scene reminds us of MKE's Water Street mixed with a Brady Street facade. The urban elements popping, the black magic enticing, and the street fashion too Steezy from day to night. 

Everyone here is looking for a connect, playing a showcase and grilled up. (mouth shots!)

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We checked out the Mazda Studio at Empire to catch Talib Kweli's set, which was packed, lit and of course, an honor.

We also got a chance to see The Blood is at the Doorstep, the documentary about Dontre Hamilton & his family, directed and produced by Erik Ljung, which premiered here at SXSW. (CW thought the documentary was very thought-provoking, and well filmed. #SupportTheLocal)

Guess who else is in town? Mike Regal! Dropping #Bars (of course) at the Coast 2 Coast showcase.

Let's see what today brings...we are excited to see if the SXSW culture is just what we need to put our own city on the map and FULLY in the mix.

Freakish: 

This is probably going to be the story of how I fell in love with Austin and just like any love story, it starts with me playfully disliking this city. There's no where to park, food is expensive, and I still haven't had a good taco.

Lines are long, people are rude, and I've had to change socks like three times, but this city is beautiful, and even through the driest of dry heats, I can see what brings people here. The knick-knacks are weird, the people are weirder, and there's a welcoming vibe flowing through the bamboo stalks around the corner from our hotel.

I can see myself loving this city, but for right now I'm admiring from a distance waiting for her to show me who she really is.

Syn:

"KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD, MAN!" & it won't be that hard when you're in this environment. 

SXSW; thus far, has been a hub for some dope shit. My favorite part is the intertwining of different cultures and the natural hair love was REAL. From #BlackGirlMagic and #BlackBoyJoy; you could see the support of the Puff and I love that. #SupportThePuff #MyCurlsWasPoppin #PinkFroGang #BetYouCantDoItLikeSyn... Even brands like Shea Moisture were in the city; supporting hair styles and types of all kind with a glam squad on hand, free products and of course some dope Instagram posts. (I may or may not be on their Instagram soon @sheamoisture)

Dirty: 

"CW is Sexi." - Words from a group of guys standing in the middle of 6th St.

It never fails no matter were we go, they notice. Good...because we are watching too. Talking to strangers, about fashion, music and where they are from always gives me a feel for the event. Who is at SXSW, and why does it matter? No matter where we go I want to see the REAL. There is nothing less intriguing then overly Bougie Street festivals cultivated by posers...and I know Bougie. Austin seems like a good balance of culture, people hungry for a moment to shine, and music...Music, Music, and Music. It gives me hope that maybe home can build something similar...I want this movement. I want this moment. This is research: Put in the work. Create the change. Perspective Babyyyyyyy! 

PLUS 

Supporting every genre of music was a beautiful thing to see. Seeing different people support local and bigger name artists was amazing. It was for every kind of person that wants to come together in one united front.

From civil protests on the streets of 6th to the perspective of seeing Milwaukee in Austin; I couldn't help but feel (a little) at home.

Love & All Things Urban,

/CW (GVNG GVNG SQUAD CIRCLE MoBB) 

Shooter: Mahdi Gransberry