After keynoting The 2018 Interior Design Show in Toronto I was interviewed by Dezeen Magazine about the creation of The Hip Hop Architecture Camp funded by Autodesk and the benefits of combining architecture and Hip Hop Culture!
Read MoreQuote Of The Day - Kanye West
"...you know, this one [Le]Corbusier lamp was like, my greatest inspiration. I lived in Paris in this loft space and recorded in my living room, and it just had the worst acoustics possible, but also the songs had to be super simple, because if you turned up some complicated sound and a track with too much bass, it’s not going to work in that space. This is earlier this year. I would go to museums and just like, the Louvre would have a furniture exhibit, and I visited it like, five times, even privately. And I would go see actual Corbusier homes in real life and just talk about, you know, why did they design it? They did like, the biggest glass panes that had ever been done. Like I say, I’m a minimalist in a rapper’s body. It’s cool to bring all those vibes and then eventually come back to Rick [Rubin], because I would always think about Def Jam." - Kanye West
Read MoreKoolhaas Interview with Kanye West - Hip Hop + Architecture
Listen to Mr. West speak the truth about life in general and about his aspirations to practice architecture. I have to met him one day...who is gonna help make that happen?! I need to start a social campaign "Kanye, met Mike 2014". I have blogged and written so much about Kanye that sometimes I think I know him. Its crazy, he is a very critical thinking and an inspiring person.
Read MoreQuote of The Day - Kanye West
“I probably sound ignorant when I talk about [architecture]… I’m fine with sounding ignorant… I’m not talking about something like music that I’m a complete expert at. I’m talking about something I want to learn about and I’m not afraid to talk in public about my desire to learn more.”
"Holy Hip Hop" Paintings
Icons from the world of hip-hop music were the subject of an exhibition at MOCAD in Detroit, MI. Holy Hip-Hop! New Paintings by Alex Melamid were on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit from February 8 through April 20, 2008. I was able to visit this exhibit back when I was living in Detroit and I must say, I loved the work. The portraits had a Mone Lisa feel to them because of the medium used and the lighting quality displayed in the pieces, especially the 50 Cent piece.
Read MoreNike - Yeezy II - Red Octobers
The detail in these shoes are amazing. Take a look at the images by Shane Griffin who was commissioned by Nike to create the visuals.
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Kanye West's House Is Where Hip Hop Architecture Happens
n Kanye West's video "Heartless", directed by Hype Williams, the background is the architectural work of Kanye himself. What West envisioned was a cross between a museum and a Louis Vuitton boutique. The finished product was featured in Interior Design Magazine. See my original post here, about Kanye's aspirations to be an interior designer.
Read MoreThe Architecture of The Yeezus Tour
"Despite being in the news for various statements and business deals, Kanye West and his team know how to put a performance together. Any audience member at one of the Yeezus live performances would attest that the artist transformed their arena into the rap equivalent of an opera hall, creating an innovative and gripping concert experience for attendees. The praise has traveled outside of the music world, even, with ArchDaily and architecture journal INTERIORS examining the inspiration behind Yeezus‘ complex set design. Uncovering every inspiration – from vintage film to Xbox Kinect" - HypeBeast
Read MoreNotes From a College Dropout's Design Dialogues
Herzog, half of Pritzker-winning design team Herzog & de Meuron, participated in a conversation moderated by Obrist with Kanye West about architecture and design Miami’s Design District.
Read MoreLeft - Kanye West Right - LeCorbusier
Kanye - Yezus Inspired by LeCorbusier
I must admit that this blog post has me very excited, for the past 10 years I have been creating a body of research based on the architecture of LeCorbusier and its unintended social implications and subsequent environmental backdrop in Hip Hop. Click here for Previous Post. Hearing that Kanye West's Yezus was inspired by LeCorubiser now validates my research and efforts which include the linkage of Corbu to Hip Hop and ultimately aims to create a Hip Hop Inspired Architecture. Since the culture itself has been heavily influenced by architecture, its only right that the culture now shall heavily influence architecture.
Yeezus - Album Cover
In an interview with The New York Times, Kanye West admitted that the new sound on "Yeezus" came from somewhere none of us were expecting. "Architecture — you know, this one Corbusier lamp was like, my greatest inspiration," he claimed.
Le Corbusier is one of the founders of modern architecture. Working in the 1930s, the French architect rejected the architectural styles before him. In fact, he rejected style entirely in favor of minimal and essential structures. He believed in function above all, and his perfectly-proportioned creations were ideal structures for the modern citizen. "Like I say, I’m a minimalist in a rapper’s body," Kanye told the NY Times, which explains his attraction to Le Corbusier's radical designs.
Last week, MoMA opened their show on the influential architect, "Le Corbusier: An Atlas of Modern Landscapes." It seems that Le Corbusier is having a moment in the cultural spotlight. We've put together a list of why Le Corbusier is just as awesome as Kanye says he is. Meet the inspiration behind "Yeezus."
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Original Post - Click Here