De La Vega

   I have seen this "Become Your Dream" image many times before but it was recently brought to my attention by classmates of mine that this term was coined by street artist, De La Vega.  I didn't even know who James De La Vega was a couple of days ago despite the fact that he's been around for quite a few years now.  Some consider his work to be graffiti, others put him in a whole different category.  A few years back, he was charged with vandalism because of a mural he drew on a blank wall in the Bronx.  He had to perform 50 hours of community service because he wouldn't admit that his artwork was destructive.  Vega is known for creating public murals and chalk drawings.  These creations usually include insightful words just as 'Become Your Dream' and the image below..

De la Vega has a store in NYC called De La Vega Museum, located on St. Mark's Place in the East Village along with three others in Tokyo, Paris, and Italy.  I haven't been to his NYC location yet but I definitely plan to now that I've learned more about him.  He focuses on the youth, especially inner-city youth.  When interviewed by CareerCookbook.com in 2006, he stated "I am not as interested in the adults who are the ones with money. Ultimately young people are the most important piece of the whole thing. The reason I do what I do with my art is because I am trying to inspire people to be powerful and make change." 

He also has a powerful stance on women that I can appreciate; "Women are the buyers, they know how to make business grow. Guys are retarted. Women are communicators."- from an interview with Vane Lifestyle

De La Vega outside of his store in NYC.

THEY CALL HER BK

My first firework is a true New York talent. Born and raised in the heart of the city, Bridget Kelly( nicknamed BK or BeeKay) brings a refreshing edge to the world of R&B . She has been trying to find her place in the music biz ever since she began attending Laguardia High School for Performing Arts, a well-known school located in Manhattan.  BK regularly performed at open mic spots throughout the city and even used a subway platform as her stage.  In 2008, she got her big break.  Roc Nation, a fairly new record label created by hip-hop phenom, Jay-Z, gave BK her first recording deal. 

Now 23, BK is known as the first lady of Roc Nation and this is only the beginning.  Compared to the many young R&B stars who have been climbing the charts, I think BK adds soul and a slightly different sound to her music. Her most public performance yet was playing the part of fill-in for Alicia Keys during a couple of Jay-Z's concerts in September '09.  BK performed AK's hook on "Empire State of Mind." As a huge AK fan, I must say, she did her proud.  Her style and tone somewhat resemble that of Alicia Keys.  Below is a clip of BK's performance with Jay-Z:




Bridget Kelly is currently recording her first album, no due date is set yet.  As I tried to find some of her original work on youtube, I came across this song titled "Stuck", I can't stop listening to it.  I'm usually a sucker for love songs but this track is different and very powerful. I posted the song below.