I can’t help it. I love Alicia Keys. Her videos are thoughtfully created, and always tell a story. Cheers to the musicians who still contribute art and vision to the increasingly lame music video platform.

Tracee Worley observed this routine interaction at Laundromats across New York City, and witnessed its artistic potential. As one of this year’s Create Change resident artists for the community arts organization, The Laundromat Project, Worley created The Dirty Laundry Line, an interactive experiment designed to encourage interaction by inviting people to anonymously call a hotline to “air out their dirty laundry.”

Billed as “part confessional, part peep show,” The Dirty Laundry Line taps into the often-strange level of privacy found in such a public space.

“People usually keep to themselves, despite ample opportunity to interact with one another,” Worley said. “Yet hidden amidst this web of isolation lays a robust network of communication and exchange. NYC Laundromats, along with neighborhood cafes, barbershops, bodegas and lampposts, have become unofficial billboards for local communication. I wondered if this unofficial community bulletin space could be appropriated to provoke interactions amongst Laundromat customers.”

Launched this summer, the line has provided an open environment for some hilarious and well, honest, confessions. From workplace toothpaste pinching to the classic case of a cheating lover, callers have been letting it all hang out.

“I am surprised most by the overwhelmingly voyeuristic response to the line,” says Worley. “Since the line was created in August, hundreds of people have called, spending several minutes listening to messages that other callers have left, but do not record a message of their own. So while the line is certainly a space for exhibition, it has mostly been used as a voyeuristic space. Perhaps that speaks to the innate eavesdropping, Peeping Tom in all of us.”

Wanna listen or leave a message of your own? Visit the website to find out how, and get your neighborhood in on the action.

Little Miss, by Francis Simeni

Francis Simeni’s art is striking.

There’s something about the color and texture contrasts, paired with the intensity of his subjects that makes his work jarring yet inherently tender. Born in Lagos, Nigeria and transplanted between Poland and New York City, Simeni has an impressive repertoire of oil and acrylic paintings on wood canvases.

Using the simplest color palette, he’s able to tap into the innocence and strength of individuals, with children being his most captivating and charming muses. A flip through the online gallery will reveal the artist’s African influences and his aptitude for contrasting joy, wonder and strength with anguish, fear and desperation.

“There has to be something in stillness or motion that captures a deeper feeling.”

“Thematically, I gravitate toward history, self-image, identity, relationship, and portraiture,” Simeni says. “Each can be utilized to express a person’s gravitas. There’s a connectivity that I’m striving to paint.”

Inspired by Keba Armand-Konte’s photographs printed on wood grain, Simeni’s creations are wholly authentic interpretations of life.

“Emotional images move me,” Simeni says. “There has to be something in stillness or motion that captures a deeper feeling. I look for that one moment that speaks a thousand words. I want to capture something: a certain look, a certain physicality, a gesture. But keeping in mind that the figure does not have to be moving to be captivating and powerful.”

He’s been honing his talents since the age of three, beginning with comic books and eventually transitioning into illustration and graphics. A graduate of New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, Simeni hopes to “keep experimenting and explore as many different personal themes as I see fit. Regardless of media.” We look forward to following this evolution.

Check out Francis Simeni’s work and keep an eye out for his work at a gallery near you.

Stare, by Francis Simeni

The "Lalow" for Girls

Arthur Roberts and Jordan Freda’s Mumz the Werd clothing line is anything but quiet. Managed in California and masterminded in New Jersey, Mumz is tiptoeing its way onto the backs of trendsetters nationwide with striking hues and a distinctive style of character-based artwork. A chance encounter on Myspace led to the creative collaboration of Roberts’ tricked-out sketches of mummified cool kids and Freda’s business savvy and filmmaking background. The two innovators recently released their spring line of t-shirts featuring the funky new character additions, Minimus Grime and Merker Bezerker. TheCoolAid sat down with these dudes to chat about partnerships, their vision, and of course, what they think is cool.

Where did the idea for Mums the Werd come from?

Arthur: I always knew of the term “Mums the Word.” When I lived in Philly I used to go around looking at all the little characters that people would post stickers of. I would always think, “Damn I want to make my own character and start posting stickers all over Philly so people will know who I am as an artist.” So, I was drawing some little mummy character and called him “Mums.” Once it was finished, I thought it would look good on a t-shirt for a clothing line. The name “Mumz the Werd” just kind of came to me after I made [the character] Mumja. That’s where it all came from basically. That was in 2005.

What inspires your artwork?

Arthur: Some major influences would probably be the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Voltron, Power Rangers, Pokemon, Akira, Willy Wonka. I used to draw the Ninja Turtles all the time as a kid. I remember on Sundays we would get this weird-ass, obscure newspaper in Atlantic City and they always had Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics in there. I used to just copy those every week. That was the beginning I guess.

"Mumja" 3D Gummy Shirt

Jordan, you’re based out of San Mateo, CA and Arthur works from Atlantic City, NJ. How does your partnership work on opposite coasts, and how have these two distinct markets impacted your style & overall creative direction?

Jordan: Sometimes it’s tough being on two different coasts, but with all the technology it’s basically like we’re sitting right next to each other. There are times when we’ll have communication problems, and we have our little scuffles here and there, but who doesn’t? As far as East coast meets the West coast? I think it’s like that slightly. Arthur has a very New York influenced hip-hop oriented background, and I’m the California kid, a skateboarder growing up and always into rock music. I think that when we talk to each other and throw ideas back and forth, our final product always becomes a hybrid of those two things. It’s as if we take the hip-hop aspect and throw the rock aspect in there. Traditionally in rock, people aren’t into the big shiny things, but we try to find the middle ground. So, we don’t make it too flashy and we don’t make it too boring, I guess we’re just trying to blend the two as much as possible.

Arthur: I think the East and West styles are basically the same; it’s just that the West coast has the sun so they can wear whatever they want because it’s perfect weather year-round. So that allows people to do more with their styles, and wear more colors. That’s what I think separates the two. The East coast focuses on a lot of greys and browns and boring shit. I think if you’re going to do the blacks and greys, make it artistic. That’s where I come in.

It was interesting to see that you’ve joined forces with bands that have completely different vibes through your “Shhhh Sounds” partnership campaign. How does the idea of bridging gaps play into the brand?

Jordan: We’re always going to be working on something new, but I think we just want to get involved with groups as much as possible, and don’t want people wearing our clothes to be labeled as anything. Arthur and I were talking at the Magic convention in Vegas asking, “Are we streetwear?” And no, we’re not. We couldn’t think of what we wanted to call ourselves, so I just said we’re “wearwear.” We just want people to wear us without being stereotyped. One of the problems growing up for both of us is either you’re considered a part of the rock crowd, the rap crowd, you’re a skater, you’re a thug, you’re this, or you’re that. Well, we’re just people, and getting involved with bands reflects that. Mumz the Werd as a brand also reflects the two of us. You have Arthur who’s into hip-hop, and into high-end fashion, and then me who, well I don’t even know what I’m into. Hopefully, by buying our products it’s almost like buying into our lifestyles because we’re two totally different people who can get along in unison.

Arthur: You just have to be true to what you do and good shit will follow you always. What’s apparent with this clothing line is that all I have to do is stay current. My art just kind of does its own thing, while fashion is in one day out the next.

"Minimus Grime" Oversize Print Limited Edition

So what makes your brand unique?

Jordan: The common thing I saw at Magic was brass knuckles, guns, and skulls. We don’t have brass knuckles, guns, or skulls. We have a big character-based line with huge characters across the shirt. It’s almost like direct advertising without even having to use lettering on the shirt. I also think we stand out because of the inks we use. It’s a 3D gummy-type ink that’s excreted off the shirt. People were coming up to us asking, “Oh my god, how did you print your shirt?  Oh my god, what is this?” We definitely stood out. I didn’t see anybody getting looked at the way we did.

Arthur: For you to understand what’s unique, you have to understand what we’re battling against. Everybody’s copying each other right now. The colors are all the same, the imagery is the same, there’s nothing fresh. What makes us stand out is that we have color and our product is put together really well. It’s not just a bunch of bullshit splatter color where we’re hitting you from all directions with neon.

Tell me a little about your current collection. Is it a part of a series? Is there a theme?

Jordan: There are three characters that I like to see as three elements. We have the “Speechless” shirt that appeals to the music crowd, because it has the cool character with the headphones and a backpack on. He’s sort of like the urban kid. And then we got the “Lalow” which is the character throwing his hands up, and it’s more of the hip-hop style shirt. Then there’s the “Mumja” which is the really cute character that the girls like, and all the guys think is cool too just because it’s a recognizable character. There isn’t really a theme with it; it’s just three main characters that we think will affect different demographics.

How do you define “cool?”

Jordan: To me, everybody is cool. Cool is just the essence that’s around you. It’s the way you portray yourself to the world. I know there are negative images of “cool,” like guns and violence and shit, but that’s not going to get you very far. Cool is being comfortable with who you are, and being able to present yourself to the world in a positive manner.

Arthur: There is no definition of “cool.” Cool is how you are I guess, and people will recognize that.

Grab your Mumz gear for the summer, and be sure to say hello to Arthur and Jordan at this year’s Van’s Warped Tour.

In a noisy lobby at the Universal Motown office, Solo for Dolo’s nervous excitement is thick in the air—and rightfully so. He just independently released his first full-length album, The Truth for the Youth, and is gearing up for promotions, performances, and of course prime real estate in your personal music collections. I had the opportunity to chat with the up and coming artist for what I later discovered was only his second live interview. At just 21-years old, Solo’s maturity and poise is present both lyrically and in person, as he discusses his message, his motivation, and what’s missing in today’s music industry.

So tell me about the album. Almost all of the songs seem autobiographical, and most are pretty intense and very real. Where were you in your life when you began the project, and how did your life play a role in the music?

The album started with two tracks, “Glass House Theory” and “Black September.” I did an EP for Black September, and I pressed like 500 copies. I was going through a really crazy time while I made that album. I’d moved back from Brooklyn after being in a group for a while, and I was just going through a lot of changes. The old comfort zone that I was in was completely re-routed. I was in a position where I was really uncomfortable with my surroundings, so it was from that perspective of just not knowing where you’re going with anything and just trying to get your life together.

I was starting to see a lot of my friends back from my hometown really getting messed up on drugs and stuff like that. I was breaking a lot of those connections and getting into a new world, and I think you can hear that between those two bookends on the EP. Once I really got the feedback to make a new project after that EP, I wanted to show more of my older style, which is in the battle rap realm. So I focused on making more music that was going to bring a positive message out there that I didn’t think was being heard.

You mentioned you were in a group, and now you’re literally solo. How’s that transition been?

I started as a solo artist, and we accidentally became a group. We were just gonna do a project together. I think we had a good run with everything we were doing, but I felt that I had to speak my story. I had to go back to doing my own music again.

Speaking of your story, you make a lot of commentary in your music, which I was surprised to hear for someone so young. Are you prepared to take on the challenge of actually being “The Truth for the Youth?”

I’m game for it. I notice myself being more levelheaded than a lot of the people I grew up with that are in my same age group. For the most part, I’ll see my friends who are in college and it’s nothing but drugs and alcohol. I think people of all ages need to wake up, not just my generation. I’m not sure if I was particularly supposed to be that type of person, but I’m awake enough and I got a microphone, so I’m gonna just say what I can.

And do you think music is what got you to this point—away from the fate of all your friends?

Definitely. I listen to the words of the rappers I was growing up to. I grew up on The Roots, I grew up on Gang Starr. When I heard Guru talking about lines like in “Moment of Truth,” you just heard a realness and it spoke to everybody universally, but I don’t think there’s ever been a voice from my side of the tracks. There’s a universal message in the music, and I think I picked up on that as a kid. I wanted to make music that spoke volumes instead of just making flash in the pan B.S.

What do you think is missing from music today, and what void do you think you’re filling?

I think what’s missing in today’s music industry is a fair balance. For commercial hip-hop, you really only have labels promoting certain types of acts, and only promoting party music. They got Asher Roth who’s like the epitome of Lil Wayne, but he’s for white kids. It’s the same thing. He’s not saying anything that needs to be said, and that’s kind of ridiculous how in a post-9/11 world nobody’s speaking anything that’s making any kind of important effort. You just have a bunch of “Yo, check out my Louis Vuitton bag,” and these [lyrics] are from “conscious” rappers. Just look at Kanye West. He came in with that b-boy element, but where is it? He lost it. So, I’m trying to deliver something that’s gonna be a little bit more effective than talking about what I’m wearing. I hope I’m bringing it.

Do you think creating music with a message is a blessing or a curse when it comes to building a following and gaining recognition? Do you think putting out a message will destine you to be this underground dude forever, and are you ok with that?

It might not be a bad thing because I’m just being myself. I’d feel like a sucker if I was just making some other person’s life story to sell to everybody. I’m happy with the people that give me respect, listen to my message, and hit me up like, “Yo, I’m really feelin’ that. I think what you’re doing is great.” I would rather be surrounded by like-minded people, as opposed to cramming myself to fit in. That’s like playing some high school stuff, and I never really played that. I was always kind of the odd person out—always—because I was too hip hop to fit in with my white friends, but a little too white to fit in with my friends in the hood areas. It was like I grew up in two different neighborhoods, so I walk a weird balance anyway. I’m just used to it.

You’ve been on the grind for a while now, and you still have so much time ahead of you. What kinds of challenges have you been confronted with? Are your knees sore from trying to kick down so many doors?

[Laughs] My hair’s starting to thin out at 21, so that’s a great sign. Yeah, I mean, I don’t know how it happened to where I was this motivated with music. I was always into music but hip hop spoke to me the most, and I had to rap. It definitely held me back in the beginning because I never had the ability to go into the nightclubs and see a lot of the battles going down, but through that I was able to meet people because of my age. I was 14 when I linked up with Domingo and QN5 Music, and Domingo is an established producer. He’s done stuff for Big Pun, Kool G. Rap, KRS ONE, and dude just embraced me from the beginning. I had joint produced with him by the time I was 15, so I must be the youngest person he’s ever done a track with. In the long run, I think that’s a good thing. I think that the 11 years that I’ve thrown in on the grind has proven that I’m not here to make a quick buck and then bounce. I’m here to put something in.

Tell me about the process of making the album.

It was crazy making this album because of how many phases it went through. Two of the tracks were on the EP I did, and then I started recording bits and pieces of the album, like “Crown Royal,” and at the same time I was working on my group’s second project, which we indefinitely canned. It wasn’t until after that that I really focused on [The Truth for the Youth]. So, for about six months I was just BS’ing around, then toward the end it started flowing and I realized I had a finished album, so it was like, might as well put it out.

Then I contacted Domingo. He’s the main producer on the album, and he went over a mix and master and gave me a lot of input. He was really feelin’ it and really wanted to get behind it, and it was originally going to come out on his label, but due to a lot of constraints I wanted to put this out on my own. So, I jumped back in the lab, got a finished mix, got it mastered, and just put it out digitally. I’m setting the wheels in motion, but this is definitely going to be a workhorse of an album that I intend to get a lot of use out of over the next year or two.

What’s the next single?

The next single right now I’m really debating, but I think it’s gonna be “Babycakes.” I like that song. The first time Chris sent me the beat I heard it and I was debating on whether or not I should use it, ‘cause it was such a light element, but then he sent me the hook. As soon as I heard that, [the vocalist’s] words just really motivated me to do a story. A lot of people would go a pop route, but I heard Kool G. Rap on that song just because of the drums. So I just spit it rapid fire and I spit a story, and I’m happy with how that turned out.

What’s your favorite song on the album?

It changes so much. One of my favorites is “Ain’t No Love.” It’s one of the oldest and one of the newest songs at the same time. The first verse I wrote while I was in Brooklyn before I even knew I was gonna make a solo album. I wrote the first verse after I broke up with a girl. It turned out sounding more political than a breakup song.

[Ironically, Asher Roth’s video for “I Love College” starts playing]

Oh my god this guy came on. He’s on Universal Motown ain’t that amazing? I’m gonna find the person who signed him, you wanna join me in that? Yeah, but “Ain’t No Love,” I finished the track, and I didn’t even have the beat when I wrote that. Then I found the beat, and the first verse flowed with it, then I had to finish up the second verse. I’m happy with it.

How do you see your music progressing over the years? How do you envision your sound evolving?

My flow has evolved. I’ve learned a lot of basic principles as far as vocal delivery and performance and I’m still growing as an artist, so I don’t know. I have no idea what the next record will sound like. I’ve already been going over things in my head of what I’d like to accomplish. I’m just trying to make music that you wouldn’t expect to hear.

Any closing thoughts?

Don’t eat a hotdog before an interview.

“The Truth for the Youth” is available now. Go to SoloForDolo.com to hear more.

In the meantime, check out the video for the first single, “You Can’t Say This on Demo Tapes”:

You Can’t Say This on Demo Tapes from Solo For Dolo on Vimeo.

This year, Cooper and fellow collaborator, Henry Chalfant, celebrate the 25th anniversary of the bestseller, Subway Art, a book widely considered to be “the Bible of the graffiti movement.” Check out Cooper and Chalfant as they recount their experiences and discuss what to expect with the latest edition.