the second installment of king adz tel aviv rumblings, for mandi’s basement…
I spend the next day in Haifa (another story) and hit the road and make it back to Tel Aviv in time for me to meet up with Cohen@Mushon — the most original, talented, creative hip-hop act in Israel. Their videos and persona’s remind me of how the Beastie Boys were in the ’80s — only way cooler. And to top it off, they are some of the most humble and likable guys I’ve ever met (a recurring theme over this side) and outside of the band they are famous for other talents. Walter is a promoter/dj, Cohen is a writer for publications such as Time Out, and Muchon is a house-hold name actor.
I spend the next day exploring the different parts of Tel Aviv proper and PILPELED takes me to all the shops and galleries that he knows will hit the spot. We even find a copy of The Urban Cookbook (lol) and I’m happy to see that my work has good legs… The weather is killer and it’s only winter. White dreads are everywhere and we pass a hairdressers that only deals with the locking up of dreadlocks. “The white dread has moved from South Africa to here,” I say to PILPELED. “Yes, many blond dread here,” he says. He takes me to eat a Sabich (a pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard boiled eggs, potato, salad, houmous and tahini) which is a first (of many) as it tastes like nothing else. “Each place has its own twist, adds its own secret ingredients,” Pil tells me, after I’ve scoffed the lot. Street food for the book indeed…
We then stroll to a coffee shop which is a total throwback to Goa. Geezers sit around playing chess under the palms in the courtyard and there is a bookshelf in the corner; people roll joints, while young couples canoodle, oblivious to anything except each other. I shoot some film of this serene scene taking place a block away from one of the busiest streets. Everyone is happy as larry, everything existing in harmony. Only in Tel Aviv. This is when I realize that — for one reason or another — I’m totally blessed to be able to travel the world, explore wonderful places and hang with the most amazing talents. Old, new, past, present and future. When I’m on the road I get up each day and get to meet and hear the most amazing stories from people who are truly expressing themselves through their work — good people, doing great work.
This is what life is about. This is the real deal, Holyfield. Okay, so it has taken me a long time to get to this point and unless you’re a trustafarian (which I’m not) you can’t do this without a major publisher behind you that is into your work 100% and an agent who loves everything you do (both of which I’m lucky to have). My advice is to work hard and be nice to people, follow your gut and only deal with what you truly believe in. The rest will follow… This all happened for me because of my total love and belief in street culture. This is all I know, I can’t do anything else…
I’m staving off mid-trip fatigue from being out and about every day and night with my ever-growing crew of Israeli vandals and club-killers, by chowing down on some killer Lamuchan and hot-as-fuck kebabs. Back in England I’m always tucked up in bed with a book by 10pm (sorry to blow my image but I gotta tell it like it is) but on the road my M.O. is like something out of 24 Hour Party People — it just don’t pay to sleep. PILPELED has just done his first Time Out cover and so he’s up all night waiting for the courier to deliver the first copies from the printers, and so after a rather late start, we spend the afternoon with Guy Pitchon who is an amazing skate and street photographer who has been documenting the Israeli scene for the last ten years, and I just know from his work that I need him to represent in my book.
Oh well, onwards and upwards. One really fresh, original street artist is a guy called READ, who is still studying graphics. We swing by his apartment when he’s finished classes for the day and check out his work. “I’m not doing much street work these days as I have too much college work,” he tells me. This is the new breed coming up from the street. This guy was born in the 1980s and is half my age. But we still connect as our hearts are both in the street gutter, and I really like his can-do attitude. Refreshing after all the Big I-AM posturing that is de rigueur for a lot of the up-and-coming street artists in Europe. READ is no talk and all trousers… After checking out a couple of clubs I’m in bed for 4am, with big things promised for tomorrow night — which is Walter Einstien Frog’s ‘Women Respond to Bass’ night at a loft somewhere. Big props to all of you who actually read this shit, bigger props to those who haven’t made up their minds about a place they know little about. Don’t knock it till you try it, street level style. Night night.
http://www.myspace.com/cohenetmushon
words by KING ADZ (image PILPELED)
http://www.100proof.tv/
http://www.thamesandhudson.com/9780500514306.html
