Wii Spray Can prototype

It can easily be said that the Wii is the most “3rd-party-accessory-inspiring” product since the iPod. Like the beloved mp3 player’s myriad docking stations and protective cases, the Wii has its own slew of recharging stations, putters, steering wheels, neon-colored grips, zapper guns, etc., etc. The Wii’s unique player interface also allows itself to be modified and hacked in creative ways, many examples of which can be found on the Web. The Wii Spray Can is the latest in highly-inspired designs of modified Wii controllers.

The spray can design is part of Martin Lihs’ final thesis at Bauhaus-University in Weimar, Germany. Dismantling the guts of a Wii Remote, Mr. Lihs placed them inside a cylinder, which he designed to mimic a spray can, and topped it with what appears to be a German Grey Dot thin cap. The Wii Remote techology has been modified to connect to buttons along the outside walls of the “can,” and more importantly, to the spray nozzle, thus allowing the user to control an onscreen virtual can of paint.

As mentioned above, the Wii has already released several plastic caddies which create a unique controller specific to the game; the success of these custom controllers is a testament to the direction in which the video game industry is moving, as gamers enjoy the creative adaptation to the traditional console paddle. The Wii Spray Can could be applied to a re-release of Marc Ecko’s 2006 creation, Getting Up, which enjoyed only average success, or the lighter Jet Set Radio series, created by Sega in 2000. It’s also possible that the Wii Spray Can could be used as a cool implement in an open-ended art & design software.

Hip-Hop is Waaay Dead

Music journalists have been announcing the expiration of hip-hop since Notorious B.I.G. released Life After Death, and I’ve mostly agreed. If there was any remaining question in my mind, the following video has negated all hope I might have had for the salvation of hip-hop. Hip-hop is deader than dead; hip-hop is, in fact, a re-animated zombie corpse of its former, once-vibrant self (and this zombie is not “Thriller-cool,” trust me). See for yourself:

I really appreciate how these guys stick it to the man by not bowing down to corporate sponsorships. Instead, they take it into their own hands and provide the advertising for FREE!

P.S. Do you think these fools could help me find the R.C. Cola sticker wrap for an ’89 Toyota Camry that I’ve been searching for?

The Popguns

“The future’s fear
and every shameful moment,
Come together here
in the quiet of the afternoon.”

Vintage Hair Net packaging

Summer, at last!

Despite today’s rain, I think summer has finally arrived in Boston! Now that we’ve turned the corner and left bad weather behind, it’s time for excessive amounts of my two favorite summer treats: beer and kickball!

The Escape Pack

Bodega, Boston’s (formerly) super-secret sneaker-head haven, is teaming up with Reebok to realease a very exciting, highly limited package they’ve dubbed “The Escape Pack.”

The project is inspired by the infamous transportation method known as The Chinatown Bus, and the lost weekends that usually result from a trip on the bus. Any familiar rider knows that both the Fung Wah and Lucky Star bus lines are famous for providing an insanely-cheap, life-risking ride from Boston Chinatown to NYC Chinatown, and it’s the way to get out of this city, to that city, for the weekend!

The centerpiece of the Escape Pack (due out tomorrow, May 31) is this newly designed Reebok Omni Pump Lite, which features a crisp jade and charcoal color scheme, accented by the BODEGA logo in a warm red. The ankle collar is also detailed with a map, displaying the route taken by The Chinatown Bus.

While I don’t find the sneaker itself to be particularly exciting, it’s the contents of the Escape Pack that I see as pretty cool. Limited to an edition of only 100, the Escape Pack includes everything BODEGA knows you’ll need for a wild weekend in the big city.

Inside you’ll find rolling papers and a lighter, fat caps and paint markers, mixtapes, a whiskey nip, condoms, and some toiletries, (just to name a few items!), and an assortment of other goodies and good luck charms! With all of your basic needs covered, you can hop on the Fung Wah worry-free and enjoy yourself for the weekend.

One very lucky person’s Escape Pack will include a Golden Ticket, a la Willy Wonka. The winner of the Golden Ticket will receive airfare to anywhere in the continental US, as well as a suitcase filled with past limited edition releases from Reebok!

The Lion of the Left

Mr. Kennedy, you are in my prayers. Take it easy, catch a Sox game, eat some Legal Sea Food, and we’ll see you soon.

Two new markers by KRINK

Krink recently released two new markers, adding to their growing line of quality graffiti tools.

The first is the K-63, a Dye-Based Marker. It’s similar in construction to the Krink Squeeze Bottle Mini-Mop, but with a new, dye-based ink, which has a nice translucent quality. With a large ink capacity, it’s available in green, blue, red, and purple. Its broad, round tip works on most surfaces, and when squeezed, it drips like hell.

 

The second (below) is the new, Steel Ball Point Tip marker, known as the K-66, and this one comes in silver, orange, white, or black opaque ink. It has a completely new construction than previous Krink markers– the durable, steel ball-point tip allows the user to mark on more rugged surfaces than typically allowed by the usual felt-tipped marker.

I haven’t tried this marker yet, but it seems very similar in construction to a Nissen Metal Marker. I’ve managed to catch some nice tags with a Nissen marker on fairly rusty metal, so I’m eager to see how the Krink version performs, especially with that famous ink!

As always, these inks are hand-made with love, and tested in the streets for highest quality. Thanks again, KR!

Obey Obama

Shepard Fairey was in New York last week, slapping up wheatpaste posters of Barack Obama around Manhattan, specifically on the corner of Houston and Bowery. However, at this particular spot, knowingly or not, Mr. Fairey applied his poster directly over a fill-in by graffiti writer MARTY, of the Smart Crew. Thing is, MARTY has had that spot on lock for a couple years now, and wasn’t ready to let it go.

 

On the left, MARTY’s spot, pre-Obama; On the right, Shepard Fairey’s Obama poster

The photos below, taken by Vincent Ng on Saturday afternoon, show MARTY taking said spot back. In broad-fucking-daylight. Extra points for doing an orange fill, matching the Keith Haring mural to the left.

When questioned by Razor Apple (who originally caught the story) about dissing MARTY in the name of giving a shout-out to Barack Obama, Shepard Fairey had this to say: “I don’t like to go over people ever, however, I feel Obama being elected is very important to everyone’s future including MARTY’s. It was not intended to be disrespectful of him, but if he chooses to be that small minded and petty about it I can’t control that. I certainly would expect him to justly re-claim the spot after the election.”  

 

But the story doesn’t end there. Later that same day, a mysterious crew, simultaneously pro-Obama and anti-graffiti, came to take the spot back.

Mistakingly confusing the Obama wheatpaste poster for a legal campaign promotion, they proceeded to scrub the graffiti off of the graffiti, err… poster. You’ll notice in the photo above that they also made a point to roll over the MARTY where it extended beyond the poster.

R.I.P. Robert Rauschenberg

It’s always particularly sad to hear that one of the greats has passed. Mr. Rauschenberg, you will be missed.