&
Jimmy Castor is really one of the unsung heroes of a generation that defined the funky rhythms that is now heavily akin to sampling of hip hop. However, Jimmy Castor’s work is to be praised individualistically in its purest form without regard for who chose to pay tribute to it or not. It’s a true shame that this year and 2011 has been riddled with the passing away of so many great artists including Gil-Scott Heron, Heavy-D, as well as Guru.

Castor who passed away Monday in Henderson, Las Vegas, passed from cancer at the age of 64. Truly, it was Jimmy with his iconoclastic approach to music, one of a kind persona, swinging rhythm and hard to ignore voice that probably drew inspiration from groups such as Funkadelic. The Bboy community will always appreciate his incredible contributions to the music with “Its Just Begun”, and “When”, which to me are as important to original breaks as “Apache”.

Civil Salutes Jimmy as an artist who really chose to Celebrate The Difference, in fusing Latin, funk and many genres into his own unique mixture.

Rockin’ Civil Swoop…Celebrate the Difference.

QUADRON – “EX-FACTOR” from Coco + Robin = Quadron on Vimeo.

Sensational Quadron Covering Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor. Celebrate The Difference.

The cover is something done when one is brave, one has to add life to it and breathe in their own essence while still keeping the integrity of the music. Covers are sometimes criticized as the easy way out when they can heighten the burden, Quadron’s Take on one of Miss Hill’s classic is no small feat.

An exclusive look into the very well cultivated polite letter that Mick Jagger sent to Mr. Andy Warhol requesting for the services of the iconic artist. The collaboration between these two artists led to a prolific career of Warhol album art for a plethora of great artists spanning different genres. Listed are the Rolling Stone collaborations, plus other work that Warhol did.

Some important questions to ask are what made Warhol’s art so prominent in these years .. and how did these relationships between fellow artists come about, was it merely due to fame or was there a meaningful collaboration.

Celebrate The Difference.

Check out this interview with Tomorrrows Bad Seeds…our good friends and family. Always showing love and Celebrating the Difference. Moi rockin’ Strange Days-Stranger Nights…you can find here.

Ice Cube illustrates his esoteric knowledge and reveals that he used to study architecture before his career in hip hop. In his segment of interview with the NY Times, Cube takes us on a tour of a few architectural landmarks. An artist revealing his multifaceted nature is an example of Celebrating The Difference, Cube dropping his knowledge in architecture and paying tribute to Eames is nothing short of that.

“What was appealing was showing off Los Angeles to people who think they know what Los Angeles is all about… Everybody who comes here thinks they got the place figured out, but you can never get this place figured out.”

Driving down Inglewood Boulevard in South LA, the rapper also breaks down “the good, the bad and the ugly” about art and architecture in Los Angeles. Things that make his good list: the Forum, 5 Torches, Cockatoo Inn and Watts Towers.

For Ice Cube, the worst thing about LA is the worst thing on everyone’s list: traffic. The 405 is filled with “bougie traffic.” The 110 is “gangsta traffic.” “There’s a difference!” he insists. “You gotta know where you at.”