ThaWilsonBlock Magazine

What is action? What is power of the people? What does it mean to take initiative? With this spectacular line up for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, you won’t want to miss it! G Yamazawa, Emcee/Spoken Word Artist Hatefas, Writer/Poet Leo Xia, Singer/Songwriter Usolosopher, Poet FilAm Creative, Community Spotlight OPEN MIC Kitchen Last Call: 3:30 PM Sign-ups: 4:45 PM Open mic: 5-7 PM All are welcome to sign up. The mic will be open for every artist that would like to share and build a community with us! Open mic-ers have 5 minutes max. In order to promote the variety of artists, open mic-ers are limited to 3 consecutive shows. GUIDELINES We have only two community guidelines: (1) Free speech, not hate speech and (2) Express, not impress. As a safe space for all who have ever been marginalized, express free speech and share your story! VENUE Kapistahan Grill: 1925 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026. LAST ORDER WILL BE AT 3:30 PM. Please support this Filipino-owned local business t...

Kipkirui Mitey Where art thou hip hop chosen ones  I went around corners of the globe can't see you  Arise, shine and give us more music  The base you set was classic  Pac could say 'we still breathing'  I wonders what this is meaning  Perhaps you hiding somewhere  but fans misses you everywhere  Because you vanished without goodbye  Breath in silence those words of encouragement  Chant with the jubilant disciples  The Big Punisher you quite on your sleep  But your lyrics still run deep  into the vein of diehards  Biggy Smalls do you hear me?  I know you still the Big Poppa over there  For your lines didn't spare  unruly, malicious criticism  Sometimes your performance hypnotize me  How can I forget the great Nate Dogg?  The maestro whose golden voice  Could awake the sleeping dog  With that in mind 'I better lay low''  His legacy I ought to follow  Guru ' The Ga...

Join us for an Open Mic at The South Pasadena Eclectic Music Festival. Please RSVP HERE .

Join us for this great event, free of charge, at Civic Center Park in San Dimas with Pastor David Diaz and Musical Guests Dennis Agajanian, The Gutierrez Bros. & The Chloe Addison Band. Looking forward to a time of inspirational gospel music, the preaching of the Word of God, and fun for the whole family! Noon to 4:00pm on that Saturday.  For more info email  pastordz@sdgospelfest.com

The Watts Towers, Towers of Simon Rodia, or Nuestro Pueblo ("our town") are a collection of 17 interconnected sculptural structures within the Simon Rodia State Historic Park in the Watts community of Los Angeles . The tallest of the towers reaches a height of over 99 feet (30 m). The towers and walls were designed and built by Sabato ("Simon") Rodia  (1879–1965), an Italian immigrant construction worker and tile mason, over a period of 33 years, from 1921 to 1954. The work is an example of outsider art and Italian-American naïve art . The Watts Towers are located near the 103rd Street/Watts Towers Los Angeles Metro station of the Los Angeles County Metro Rail Blue Line , and off the I-105 Century Freeway . They were designated a National Historic Landmark and a  California Historical Landmark in 1990. They are also a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument , and on the National Register of Historic Places in Los Angeles . Read More...

Lynch 's trade to the  Raiders  was made official Wednesday, after he passed his physical with the team. The announcement is merely a formality after it was announced Wednesday morning that the Seahawks had agreed to trade Lynch and a 2018 sixth-round pick to Oakland in exchange for the Raiders' 2018 fifth-round pick. Prior to the trade, Lynch agreed to sign a one-year contract with a $3 million base salary, which will include a $2 million bonus if he rushes for more than 1,000 yards this season. Lynch has shown in the past that he's capable of reaching that benchmark, but it's no longer a safe bet that he'll be the bruising back of old now that he's on the wrong side of 30 and coming off a season away from football. In any case, Lynch figures to open 2017 as the Raiders' starting running back, with Jalen Richard, DeAndre Washington and Taiwan Jones falling behind him on the depth chart. In his last season with the Seahawks in 2015, Lynch ran 417 yards and t...

The Flatiron Building, originally the Fuller Building, is a triangular 22-story steel-framed landmarked building located at 175 Fifth Avenue in the borough of Manhattan , New York City , and is considered to be a groundbreaking  skyscraper . Upon completion in 1902, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city at 20 floors high and one of only two skyscrapers north of 14th Street – the other being the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower , one block east. The building sits on a triangular block formed by Fifth Avenue , Broadway , and East 22nd Street , with 23rd Street  grazing the triangle's northern (uptown) peak. As with numerous other wedge-shaped buildings, the name "Flatiron" derives from its resemblance to a cast-iron clothes iron . The building, which has been called "one of the world's most iconic skyscrapers and a quintessential symbol of New York City", anchors the south (downtown) end of Madison Square and the north (uptown) end of t...

Lords of the Underground , aka L.O.T.U.G., hip-hop trio comprised of MCs Mr. Funke & DoItAll Dupré, and DJ Lord Jazz. Having met as students at the HBCU Shaw University, the group matched socially conscious raps with hard-hitting beats. Their hits include Chief Rocka, Here Come the Lords, Psycho, Funky Child, & Tic Toc. They won a BET award as best rap group of the year, and are best remembered in connection with the golden age of hip hop. READ MORE...

DJ Akademiks Speaks on Chance The Rapper clowning Most Record Labels on his First Tour Stop of the 'Be Encouraged Tour'

Keynote Speakers: John Riccitiello (CEO, Unity), Richard Dawkins (Evolutionary Biologist and Author), Rachel Franklin (Head of Social VR at Facebook), Sol Rogers (CEO, Founder Rewind), Jay Wright (President & GM, Vuforia PTC), Bay Raitt (CEO, Founder The Spiraloid Workshop), Aaron Koblin (CTO, Co-Founder Within), Chris Milk (CEO, Co-Founder Within), Tony Parisi (Head of VR & AR Strategy Unity), Brandon Bray (Principal Group Program Manager, HoloLens, Microsoft), Nathan Martz (Daydream Developer Platform Product Manager, Google), and Jason Weber (Senior Producer, NFL Films). Virtual and Augmented Reality have captured the imaginations of millions around the world. If you are passionate about creating games, films, ads, art, journalism and more with these cutting-edge technologies, then join us at the Vision 2017 Virtual and Augmented Reality Summit. The Vision VR/AR Summit is an event for artists, engineers, programmers, designers, musicians, directors, producers, hardware manuf...

Yirim Seck is a hip hop artist in Seattle (Photo by Hannah Myrick) As Yirim Seck walks along 23rd and Jackson in the Central District, he has little trouble pointing out where historical buildings once stood and where open spaces have been replaced by modern structures. He has spent most of his life in this neighborhood. The music he creates as a hip hop artist speaks to the changes in his neighborhood and the changes in larger society. Seck is one of many Seattle hip hop artists who embody resistance in the form of music and art that pushes for local activism. “As artists we have a responsibility to raise awareness or insert ourselves in conversations to incite change,” Seck said. “We call it a culture. It returns art to the people,” Julie C said, another local hip hop artist. “Community is a core. Hip hop acts as a mechanism of activism.” The music is specific to Seattle, but also speaks to larger issues. Draze, a local artist also from the Central District, released a song last yea...

An instructor in architectural technology at Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisc., Ford brought his message here last week at the invitation of the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He lectured at Rustbelt Reclamation , which makes furniture from recycled wood, and spent part of Friday urging students at John Hay High School's program in architecture and design to stick it out and become professionals. "The students that I'm talking to are the people and the bodies and minds we need," Ford said. "They are needed, not just wanted." An unbuilt, conceptual design of low income housing by Michael Ford. Through his writing, teaching and national speaking, Ford aims to dissolve barriers that have discouraged black children from becoming architects, city planners and urban designers. He has a book coming out soon on the need for diversity in the design professions, and the damage caused by modernist slab towers forced on minority ...

Pasadena rapper Nicky BeacHouses talks New Music, Hardships, and Lyrical Composition Mistah Wilson: Yo, BeachHouses! You already know! It's an honor to have you here for this exclusive interview with ThaWilsonBlock Magazine. What's tha latest & greatest? Nicky BeacHouses: It's an honor to be interviewed. All glory to God. I appreciate the opportunity to grace your platform. What's the latest and greatest you ask? Look out for that Black Ray Liotta, soon and very soon. It's already done. Mistah Wilson:  Real quick, let's talk life growing up in Pasadena. What was it like for you? Nicky BeacHouses:  To be real, I’m from everywhere man. I was actually born in Duarte, Ca, and spent a majority of my upbringing in Pasadena with a lot of stops in between. But, Pasadena is home for me. That's where I honed my craft and met all of my greatest influences and best friends. I never really understood how blessed I was to be living in such an affluent area with acces...

Stephon Marbury and the Chinese Basketball Association team that made him a legend abroad are headed for a temporary separation after the two sides failed to come to terms on his playing future and the former NBA All-Star turned down an offer to coach the team, according to multiple reports . Marbury would still like to play at least one more season in the CBA, but the Beijing Ducks — the team with which he won three championships in six seasons — is reportedly entering a rebuilding phase and unwilling to use one of its two foreign-born player spots on the 40-year-old, beloved as he is. Read More...

Los Angeles was home to arguably the most successful African- About Paul Revere Williams American architect of the 20th century: Paul  Revere Williams . Born here in 1894, Williams designed thousands of buildings over his five-decade career, from landmarks like the LAX Theme Building, to glamorous homes for the city’s rich and famous, to civic projects and public housing. He was the first African-American to become a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), in 1923, and the first to become an AIA Fellow in 1957. In late 2016 (36 years after his death) he was awarded the AIA Gold Medal award, the institute’s highest honor for architectural achievement, becoming, once again, the first African-American to do so. Williams’ success was extraordinary, given the era he lived in. His work is part of the little-known story of African-American architectural achievement in Los Angeles. But a recently published map, produced by the Los Angeles chapter of the AIA, aims to change t...

28th Annual Bungalow Heaven Home Tour Sunday April 30th, 2017 @ 10a to 4p  Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena, California, United States On Sunday, April 30, visitors can experience the beautiful historic neighborhood of Bungalow Heaven as they stroll through Pasadena’s first Landmark District. Bungalow Heaven is located north of the 210 Freeway, between Lake and Hill avenues. It is bordered on the north by Washington Blvd. and the south by Orange Grove Blvd. During the self-guided tour visitors will be invited to view the interiors of several homes with docent led commentaries. They will also be treated to demonstrations of restoration work, music, and refreshments. Food trucks will be on hand for those who wish to purchase lunch. More information on the tour or on ordering tickets can be found online at www.bungalowheaven.org or by calling (626) 585-2172. Tickets are $25 per person if purchased in advance or $30 on the day of the tour. In addition the Bungalow Heaven trolley will ag...

The 4th Annual Truck Adventures For Kids benefiting Make A Wish Foundation is an event for children to see, touch, explore vehicles of all types: fire trucks, police cars, construction, military vehicles and many other vehicles. The event is Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 9am-3pm at Santa Anita Racetrack, 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007. This unique, fun filled event, allows children of all ages to get up close to & even sit in more than 100+ trucks and vehicles that they see on the road everyday. Some of previous year’s participants include Kraft Foods, Harley Davidson, LA Fire Dept Shakey Quakey Van, Nickelodeon, Fedex, Hertz, LA Port Authority TransPORTer, City of Hope, Colgate, Time Warner, DirecTV, AAA, City of Arcadia Police, Fire & Public Works depts, Sunstate Equipment, Quinn Rental, Los Angeles Police Department SWAT, DEA, Brinks Armored Trucks, US Forestry, Waste Management, Republic Services, US Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, California Nationa...

The Rose Bowl, Pasadena  April 29th, 2017 (8a - 1p) Autism Speaks Walk is the world’s largest autism fundraising event dedicated to improving the lives of people with autism. Powered by the love of parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, relatives, and supporters, the funds raised help ensure people of all abilities have access to the tools needed to lead ‘their best lives’. The commitment of individuals like you plays a critical role in raising the funding needed to fuel innovative research and lifelong supports and services. Working together, there is no limit to what we can achieve. Please register and fundraise for an Autism Speaks Walk near you. To learn more about autism, visit www.AutismSpeaks.org or contact our Autism Response Team at 888-288-4762 or en Español 888-772-9050, or email familyservices@autismspeaks.org .

Marengo Gallery: Grand Opening The Marengo Gallery, 18 N Marengo Ave., Pasadena, United States Saturday April 29th, 2017 @ 6:00 pm The Marengo Gallery is celebrating it's Grand Opening! The opening will be held on Saturday, April 29th from 6-9pm. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be provided.  For the current exhibit, the gallery is featuring thirteen contemporary artists from China. This is their first time exhibiting their work in the western United States. Parking is available in front of Pasadena City Hall on Holly Street and at a nearby lot located at 254 E. Union Street. Learn more about the gallery by visiting: http://themarengogallery.com / Questions can be directed towards Christina Hobbs at info@themarengogallery.com or (626) 219-6831

Any Color + Any Size = Same Low Price!  FREE SHIPPING TO PASADENA / ALTADENA CALIFORNIA!!! Call to Order (626)586-4440

Daylight I wake up feeling like you won't play right I used to know, but now that shit don't feel right It made me put away my pride So long You made a nigga wait for some, so long You make it hard for a boy like that to go wrong I'm wishing I could make this mine, oh [Pre-Chorus] If you want it, yeah You can have it, oh, oh, oh If you need it, oooh We can make it, oh If you want it You can have it [Chorus] But stay woke Niggas creepin' They gon' find you Gon' catch you sleepin' (Oooh) Now stay woke Niggas creepin' Now don't you close your eyes [Verse 2] Too late You wanna make it right, but now it's too late My peanut butter chocolate cake with Kool-Aid I'm trying not to waste my time [Pre-Chorus] If you want it, oh You can have it, you can have it If you need it You better believe in something We can make it If you want it You can have it, aaaaah! [Chorus] But stay woke Niggas creepin' They gon' find you Gon' catch you sleepin...

Buy a Copy of ThaWilsonBlock Magazine   //   Make a Donation   //   Join Our Team! Mistah Wilson (or Michael Taylor), publisher of ThaWilsonBlock Magazine, is leading the "Achiever Believers" team in this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's in Pasadena, California . It all started in September/October of 2011 when Michael received the tragic news of his mother Bernice Taylor passing away to Alzheimer's disease. "To this day, it remains the biggest tragedy of my life," says Michael. And this is coming from a guy who spent the best part of his years in foster care, taking psych meds, and being institutionalized.  Bernice Taylor was Michael's long-term foster parent from weeks old to about the age of 8. He was taken out of her care as a child when his behavioral issues began to spiral out of control. Since being taken away from Ms. Taylor in 1998, Michael has been to countless different group homes, foster homes, and even juvenile detention facilities. A...

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New York City in the 1970s and '80s was very different than the city today. Not only were cars, signs and clothing styles a time capsule of the era, but the city looked different: it was covered in graffiti. To get an idea, watch the 1983 film Wild Style. A dominant visual aspect of the day, graffiti widely spread around New York City at this time, with subways, building walls, almost anything being tagged by artists including Dondi, Seen, Lady Pink, Zephyr, and Revolt. Many people just simply walked by and ignored this new art form, but Martha Cooper, a staff photographer for the New York Post at the time, was interested in gaining a deeper understanding of these graffiti and their authors. "I had never even understood that kids were writing their names on walls," says Martha Cooper, "I don't think that was generally known, people thought it was just random vandalism." While driving around doing... Read More...

windchILL Wildcard QM

UNITE THE VIBE: PASADENA, CA Old Towne Pub Pasadena, 66 N. Fair Oaks Ave, Pasadena, United States $10 / 21+ / Doors at 7pm 4/21 @ Olde Towne Pub - Pasadena, CA 12-Close EARTH ARROW 10:50-11:45 NATE HANCOCK 9:55-10:35 RIVERS 9-9:40 VEIL 8:10-8:45 THE HOPEFUL GIANTS 7:30-8 RUBY CLOUDS More TBA!!

Join us for an intimate evening with counterculture legend Cheech Marin as he takes the stage, sharing personal stories from his new memoir “CHEECH IS NOT MY REAL NAME: … But Don’t Call Me Chong”, and answers audience questions. April 20, 2017 Doors 5:00pm VIP Reception 7:00pm Event Starts at 8:00pm $150 + applicable fees Limited VIP Packages available & include: Best Seats, Pre-Event Meet & Greet, Personal Photo & Signed Book $98 + applicable fees Preferred table seating, includes signed book $80 + applicable fees Table seating, includes signed book $60 + applicable fees Theater seating, does not include signed book $39 + applicable fees General Admission ALL SEATS MUST ARRIVE BY 6:00PM. If you purchase a ticket at a table, you are required to purchase dinner. Minimum spend is $25.00 per person. You must arrive by 6:00pm. Under 18 Must Be Accompanied by a Paying Adult You may also like the following events from The Rose : This Friday, 21st April, 06:00 pm, Big Bad VooDoo D...

St. Andrew, First Baptist, All Saints, First Congregational, Fuller Theological, Pasadena Presbyterian, First United Methodist, and the First Church of Christ Scientist are all impressive examples of the many inspiring sacred spaces that can be found in downtown Pasadena. This guided walking tour will focus on the distinctive architecture and interior decorative devices that uplift the eyes and the spirit -- carved ceiling beams, hand-painted murals, and richly stained glass motifs. Our previous church tours have been sell-outs, and this one will offer the chance to enjoy work by leading, regional architects designing inspired ecclesiastical buildings. WALKING TOUR Churches of Pasadena Saturday, April 22 | 9:00am - 12:00pm Tickets: Member $20 | Non-Member $25 Please note that the tours include only exteriors. RSVP HERE

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Watch the official music video for “Stay” by Zedd and Alessia Cara.

Mark and Mary are known for doing different types of work but are both highly regarded photographers in the industry. And to hear some of their stories is quite an interesting experience. At one point, Mary talks about visiting a morgue on Oaxaca and seeing things that she said really changed who she is. Similarly, Helena talks about taking a course with Mary Ellen Mark and getting into the art form. My words aren’t going to do this half hour video any justice, so just watch it. Read More