MCA 1964 to 2012 Beasties Boys and Run DMC, 1986 Hells Kitchen, NYC

In 1979, when Hip Hop was still taking baby steps, Adam “MCA” Yauch at 15 years young, co-founded the Beastie Boys with Mike “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horowitz. MCA’s brilliant wit and trademark raspy spawned more than 30 years of boundary-pushing, body-moving music, as the three New York City co-conspirators evolved from egg-throwing teenage hardcore brats to beer-spraying hip-hop ambassadors to picket-crossing alternative-nation humanists.

No rap fan, especially early white fans over the age of 35 doesn’t have an extremely personally specific moment about first hearing some Beastie Boys song and how it exploded their worldview. In 1986, the Beastie Boys released their debut Licensed to Ill, an album that proved three white kids from New Yawk could deliver hip-hop as hot and groundbreaking as Run-D.M.C. or Public Enemy. It was also the first hip-hop album to hit No. 1 on the charts

Rev from Run DMC shared fond memories that only a brother from another mother could share. “When we (Run DMC) first met (the Beastie Boys), they came to the (Def Jam) office. They were really good rappers, but more than that, they were funny. They were not only friendly and cool, but these white cats were just so hilarious, it was amazing. It was instant bond. Right away, they drank Budweiser and we drank 40 ounces of Olde English. We wore gold chains and Cadillac emblems, and they took the emblems right off Volkswagens and put them on their necks. Their sneakers could be dirty and muddy and they could’ve had them since fifth grade, and our sneakers had to be clean. The thing that worked with us was it was the same feeling but different expression but we both rocked the music.

In my mind, they were just so dope on the mic — especially MCA. He had a really incredible style of rhyme, and I was like, this dude is amazing. Just like everybody else that ended up falling in love with MCA, that’s what was happening to me — I was like, Wow, these white boys could rap. It was incredible to see white kids rapping like that, being so cool, and sticking to their roots. It wasn’t white rappers trying to be black — they were themselves, and we respected that. Real recognized real.

Happy Birthday and Respect to The Father of Hip Hop Culture, DJ KOOL HERC.

We pay homage to KOOL HERC for creating an art form and a vision that changed the world for the better.

From the very beginning, since August 11, 1973 he brought people together. His original jams in the small rec room of 1520 Sedgwick Avenue and Cedar Park allowed poor kids a safe haven to get down and escape from the harsh surroundings of South Bronx, NY which was the poorest place in 1970s America.

Later he inspired others to carry the torch he lit which spawned a multi-billion dollar wild fire.

Most importantly, his creation, Hip Hop has become the common language of kids of all shades, colors and backgrounds from every corner of this planet.

As a grown man, he has fought to preserve affordable housing for the less fortunate among us.

His presence is always felt when he is in the building. Like a true father at the head of the table… silent protector who will show disapproval with a piercing look, (knowing you can do better) or express love with a soft encouraging word. He does this whether you’re a multi-platinum artist or the man on the street.

No words can truly express our appreciation and love for this man. Humbly we say, “Happy Birthday Kool Herc”

Sedgwick & Cedar Family

Conzo, who studied photography from a young age and eventually at The School Of Visual Arts in New York City, grew up and went to school with some of the members of The Cold Crush Brothers and eventually became their official photographer and shot the pioneering rap group in the mid-1970`s and early 1980`s capturing the first historical moments of hip-hop.

Conzo would also go on to shoot The Treacherous 3, The Fearless Four and The Fantastic 5 in early historical venues such as The Roxy, Harlem World and Ecstasy Garage.
Conzo also shot historical photographs of Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaataa and hip-hop founder DJ Kool Herc.

Conzo’s father Joe Conzo Sr. was a close friend of Latin music legend Tito Puente, who Conzo also shot extensively as well.

Conzo’s photographs have appeared in films, books and in exhibits around the world, most notably at The Schomburg Center For Research In Black Culture in New York City.

Conzo continues to photograph hip-hop artists today and most recently shot pictures of the recent Occupy: Wall Street protest.

Don Cornelius was responsible for discovering and nurturing numerous R&B and soul performers and created a platform for young adult people to come together, dance and have good clean fun. With the inception of ‘Soul Train,’ a young, progressive brother set the pace and worldwide standard for young aspiring African American entrepreneurs in TV. He transcended cultural barriers among young adults. They became one.

Soul Train helped to reinforce to generations of black people – not just in America, but around the world – that we too were cool, talented, and worth emulating. We too, are beautiful.

Thank you Don Cornelius for Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America!

Congrats To Our Man Astro!

The 15-year-old Brownsville, Brooklyn phenom signed a mega recording contract with LA Reid’s Epic Records. Astro, told New York Daily News: “It’s like a dream… I can finally say I’m working on my album.”

In honor of this news, Sedgwick & Cedar is offering a Celebrity Special on the S&C Fullzip Cardigan he is wearing above in the press announcement. (click Celebrity Special)

This week, The Roots blessed us all by launching their 13^th studio album entitled “undun” featuring our Sedgwick & Cedar iconic shot Urban Playground on the album cover!   Now that’s what we call a damn good day at the office.

For S&C, The Roots and that raw shot represents who we are at our very core.  Our brand celebrates those kids, The Roots and ALL people that have made something amazing out of literally nothing!   At Sedgwick & Cedar, we will continue to pay homage to the pioneering spirit, creativity that has changed the world.  Our work is undun.

If you love either Music, NYC, or both, then you have to dig into a copy of Will Hermes’s, senior critic at Rolling Stone and an NPR reporter, new book “Love Goes To Buildings On Fire.”

Hermes chronicles the period as a historian, and tells the story of how just a few years in 1970’s New York saw the rise of genre-defining artists and movements that shaped a variety of musical worlds, their influence felt strongly today in every realm of popular culture.   It was the creative period that gave rise to the invention of Hip Hop, Salsa, Disco, and Punk during a time of chaos in the Big Apple (better known as the Rotten Apple in those days.) His journey encounters iconic names—Patti Smith, Ramones, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen—as well as more subterranean acts (at the time) that, he argues, were just as influential—Suicide, Television, and DJ  Kool Herc.

The hand-drawn cover is a fly collection of music icons including Africa Bambaataa and DJ Kool Herc in front of the birthplace of Hip Hop at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue!

“Joe Frazier would not back up from King Kong. I knocked him down six times and when the fight was over, he was looking for me.”  -George Foreman after his fight with Frazier in 1973.

“I hit him with body shots that would have brought down buildings.”  -Muhammad Ali, on the heart of Joe Frazier

At Sedgwick & Cedar, we mourn the loss of a true original. A warrior and courageous fighter who never backed down – Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Olympic and Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Joseph William Frazier was born into an extremely poor family of ten in the deep south of segregated South Carolina.  He lived on a small, white dirt farm (meant the ground wasn’t worth a dam).  But he was a naturally built kid who would be given a quarter or sandwich by his classmates to protect them from bullies as they walked home from school.  Anyone that got in his face would soon regret it as he would whup anybody’s ass.

One day, Joe was teasing the aggressive family hog and injured his left arm in a bad fall. The poverty-stricken family was not able to pay for a doctor, so it healed awkwardly and his signature left hook was created.

By the time Joe was 15 years old, he had to go to work on the farm of a white family named Bellamy.  Run by 2 men, Mac was the younger of the two and more easy going, and Jim was much rougher and somewhat backward.  One day a little black boy of about 12 years old, damaged one of the Bellamy’s tractors without meaning to.  Jim Bellamy became so enraged he took off his belt and whipped the boy with his belt right there in the field.  Joe saw the event and went back to the packing house on the farm and told his black friends what he had seen. It wasn’t long before Jim Bellamy threatened Joe to get off the farm before he took off his belt again.  Joe warned him he better keep his pants up because it would be the last mistake he ever made.  Jim  analyzed Joe for a bit and eventually said “Go on, get the hell outta here.”  Joe knew from that moment it was time for him to leave Beaufort; he could only see hard times and low-rent for himself. Even his Momma could see it. She told Joe “Son, if you can’t get along with the white folks, then leave home because I don’t want anything to happen to you.

He was taunted mercilessly by Muhammed Ali as an Uncle Tom before a fight to try to unnerve Frazier.  This self made man was no Uncle Tom and years later in retirement Ali would regret those hurtful comments made about Frazier.

When the Great Muhammed Ali got in the face of Joe Frazier during the Fight of the Century, he learned like others the toughness of this smaller man only 205 lbs.  Ali was knocked to the matt for the first time in his life by a viscous left hook that broke Ali’s jaw.  The equally tough Ali kept fighting with the broken jaw but lost that night in 1971 setting up a trilogy of fights.  Frazier and Ali will always be connected by their epic battles as each man would not give an inch until they were dead.

A few years ago, Joe Frazier said during an interview that “I gave all eleven of my kids a piece of my Gold Olympic medal. It’ll come together again when they put me down.”

Smokin’ Joe, you are golden again.   May you forever rest in peace.

Available Now!

1. TMA-1 Label/Ed Fools Gold Headphones * with microphone * for the hardworking musician * Fool’s Gold trademark yellow cable and cord * three-button in-line remote  * 220.00 EUR * learn more here
2. Band & Olufsen Form 2 Headphones * lightweight * comes in red, orange, yellow, white, or black * aluminum-wrapped * $100.00 * learn more here
3. Sennheiser/Matthew Lim Headphones * comes with matching turntable * cork and aluminum * fully recyclable packaging * but sadly, it is not yet in mass production * learn more here
4. illest Beats Pro by Beats By Dre * “designed by audio professionals for audio professionals” * strong, lightweight aluminum * flip-up ear cups * designed by Mark Arcenal * released in November * learn more here
5. SOL REPUBLIC Tracks HD * the first interchangeable on-ear headphones * V-10 high definition sound engine * made with FlexTech which makes them virtually indestructible * 3-button remote and microphone * $129.99 * learn more here