Cut & Sewn | Single Second

Tee shirts and hoodies are the bread & butter of streetwear, every company has to start somewhere. Although you may like a brand for a couple of t-shirts they released. What sets each brand apart is the relationship you have with them, and what they represent. When I say relationship: It could be a connection you have with the person who got you into the brand, or it could go as deep as a personal connection you have with the owners of the company. 

I met Trevor & Derek about 18 months ago, at the Deck Art Show presented by Momentum Marketplace. A casual conversation about 'whatever' led to them introducing me to Single Second. Single Second is Saskatoon's connection to limited edition locally-bred streetwear inspired from skateboarding and music.

After further growth of my relationship with them, I decided to carry Single Second in the shop (Momentum Marketplace). After almost 2 years of there company in our doors, we look forward to expanding Single Second locally. You can look forward to Single Second's Spring/Summer Collection and a couple of exciting collaborations and events in the near future.

With all the buzz about Charlie Sheen and after all the stupid/funny shit he has been saying... It seems fitting that Single Second is releasing this collaboration t-shirt with the band 'Cut Your Teeth':

This will be available @ Momentum Marketplace, in the near future. 

Track Of The Day | Saved

West coast hip-hop trio, Pac Div has been under my radar since "Don't Mention It". Always kept me excited about the new music they produced. The recently released mixtape "Mania", has been on repeat the last couple of days. It's everything you can expect from the trio on a whole new level. Check it out below (Click the picture for download link):

After listening to 'Mania' over and over again, one track stood out to me. 'Saved' is the Track Of The Day:

Top 10 Locals of 2010

Honorable Mention : Dean Mack (father of hello saskatoon's, Ryan Mack) - One of my favorite 'shop rats' at Momentum Marketplace, he is funny as hell and he always has something to say. After working with both of his sons over the last year and a bit, I have got to know this guy pretty well. The picture above is worth a thousand words.

#10 Dreaming Of Electric Sheep - Local band with a unique sound. I have known most of the guys for over 4 years now, super rad guys. They are all really talented musicians, and have been in all of my favorite local bands. When I heard about them uniting ... I knew that it would be amazing. Check them out: here.

#9 Heist Aesthetics - A group of high-school kids with a passion for fashion. We collaborated earlier in 2010 on a couple of t-shirts. Originally they started off designing and performing there own unique cut & sew. Connor Hengen is the brains behind the operation, taking control behind the needle and performing the majority of the prints. I remember when he came into the shop wearing an ill windbreaker, I asked him where he bought it, he replied humbly "I made it". I hope to see some big things in 2011 from them.

#8 Sask Asian - I have been a fan for about 9 years now. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls are to die for. Located on 2nd Ave. Go find out for yourself.

#7 Never Not Gully - Over the last couple of years it has had a couple of name and layout changes, but has never changed his direction. JJ is the most talented writer I know, I hope to see big things in the future for him.

#6 1 Take Photography - Local Photographer on the come-up! I think Jeremy has been taking photos for as long as I have known him? (4 ish years?) Anyways... 1Take Photography took off in 2010, and he killed it. Can't wait to see what's next. 

#5 Geoff Warrington - Local Photographer still holding it down! I have known Geoff for approximately 9 months now, but I have known his work for a lot longer. He has shot some of Saskatoon's best skate photos, and he kills it in other categories too. I had the opportunity to work with him in the Summer of 2010 for the Mo Market Skate Team photos. Super talented,  and funny as hell. Maybe we will work together soon? #NDK X #WBW X ListenUp. X Geoff Warrington Photography ?

#4 Scratch - Great food, people and music! The modern and vibrant atmosphere/decor, invites you to sit down with some peers on a slower night and enjoy some of the favorite's from the menu. Resident DJ's are some of best in the city, spinning just about everything (avoiding the mainstream pop music). Scratch brings in some bigger DJ's too, from The Freshest to Mat the Alien. If you are ever thinking about where to go out in Saskatoon, look no further... Scratch is your spot.

#3 Single Second/The Other Guy - Local Streetwear Company, who killed it in 2010! Derek and Trevor (brothers) put out there first few styles in Halloween 08. Influenced by skateboarding and independent music. The brand voices there own personal beliefs, opinions and interests. Designing each piece with its own story, and personality.


 They have come along way since when I first met them (2 years ago). In 2010, they released the Fall/Winter line, and received a great response. Teamed up with artists and fans to produce limited edition t-shirts. Trevor started up The Other Guy in Summer 2010 showcasing his artistic talents, producing limited t-shirts and custom Munny's. I can say Single Second/The Other Guy helped influence ListenUp. If you are interested in picking up any Single Second/The Other Guy merchandise, check out the website or Momentum Marketplace in Saskatoon. Stay tuned for Single Second in 2011, I recently met up with them and all I can say is ... you will be impressed!

#2 FROMTHEFEETUP.CA - Stay current with updates of music, videos, events happening around Saskatoon, and new product at Momentum/Momentum Marketplace/Outtabounds. With a large team of writers (JJ, L.A.W., Ryan, Stacy, Jeremy, Asif, Vaughan, and myself), the content is relevant and versatile. Check out the website, if you haven't already done so. 

#1 Momentum/Momentum Marketplace/Outtabounds - They have you covered in every category; Streetwear, Footwear, Jackets, Skateboarding, Snowboarding and Biking. Carrying all sorts of brands; from WeSC to HUF to Nixon (too name a few). Within the 3 shops they have access to all Nike products (6.0 (outtabounds), SB (Marketplace), Jordan and NSW (8th). Helpful staff, good atmosphere. Easy to find products. If you are in Saskatoon, go check out all 3 locations

Words by Brennan

Logos/Arrangement by Brennan

Fresh Off The Press | Lasers

When an artist says they hate their own album due to having little to no control over the final product, then to me, it really isn't "their" work. Such is the case with Lupe Fiasco's third full length album Lasers.

Lupe's debut Food and Liquor and his sophomore album The Cool cemented his status as one of my favorite hip-hop artists of all time. I was impressed by his thought-provoking lyrics and perfect delivery over top-notch production. He had managed to achieve mainstream success without watering down his material and catering to commercial archetypes; a rare feat accomplished in a business where album sales are typically determined by radio dominance. Fast-forward 3 years: Lupe has a dispute with Atlantic and the label decides to withhold the release of his album. Only when fans petitioned for it's release and Lupe agreed to completely change the album's sound, did Atlantic begrudgingly give Lasers a release date.

Hardly a sliver of Lupe Fiasco's past lyrical prowess finds itself on Lasers; a clear indication that Atlantic forced the direction of the album towards more mainstream avenues. In fact, according to Lupe himself, he was told to not rap "too deeply" on the album. Hyped fans who petitioned for the album's release will be disappointed to find that most of the album consists of Lupe rapping unenthusiastically over generic beats featuring horrendous auto-tune hooks (ex. Words I Never Said, Out Of My Head and every song featuring MDMA). These tracks sound nothing like that of the quality music we've come to expect from his past work. Lupe's producer in crime Soundtrakk is no where to be found on Lasers, and is replaced by newcomer King David. His beats aren't actually that bad, but they're mostly ruined by god-awful choruses (no doubt chosen by Atlantic). The only song I found to be up to Lupe's standard was "All Black Everything"; a socially conscious track where the "dream-like" production matched perfectly with the alternate reality Lupe created. Despite being forced to perform on the songs "The Show Goes On" and "Never Forget You" featuring John Legend, these are two of the album's better tracks, which goes to show you how good the rest of the album could possibly be.

Having followed the events that transpired around Lasers, I feel that I can't blame Lupe too much for the final product of the album. Being supressed creatively through contracts and legal means meant that he was simply a puppet controlled by Atlantic. As for now, my hopes are high for Lupe's future as it seems as though he has made peace with Atlantic and is currently half-way finished Food and Liquor II. Hopefully Atlantic executives can keep their hands off this one; I don't think Lupe's career can stand another Lasers situation.

3.5/10

What's Making My Ipod:

Letting Go ft. Sarah Green

Till I Get There

The Show Goes On

All Black Everything

Never Forget You ft. John Legend