The Living Building

Here's an idea, instead of just aiming to build sustainable buildings how about creating a city that not only generates its own energy but gives energy back to the grid, cleans the air, captures and treats water, and has negative emissions?

That seems to be the next step as architectural ingenuity is playing with many different concepts for “living building status” from buildings that contain microbes in the paint or finish that consume pollutants to buildings actually grown from trees.

The idea is certainly progressive but like the alternative energy push its going to lack the infrastructure for many years to come. However, it is encouraging to know that this kind of active progressive thinking is occurring during a time in which ethical business practice seems like a rarity.

The International Living Building Institute has been formed following in the footsteps of LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) to work on the standards for living building certifications as well as solutions towards implementing living building practices on a much larger scale.

Check out their website for more information http://ilbi.org/ .

Droppin Jewels: Touring Artist

Back in the late 80s and early 90s artists used touring as a way to promote their album and connect to their fans. It was also during that time they had what is called a touring budget. This budget would not only allow them to be on the road, but also allow them to pay their full band, manager, road manager, assistant, stylist, hair, make-up, etc.

Now fast forward to 2010 and "touring" has taken on a totally different meaning. Touring for artists in 2010 means a way to supplement income. Since album sales are not where they need to be, they need to find other sources to provide for their family. As a result they are on the road longer, but their entourage is smaller due to budget restraints. Gone are the days of having your "team" or "glam squad." The days of getting paid the higher dollars for shows are dwindling as well.

So what does this mean to you the consumer? The answer is rather simple. SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE ARTIST! This means going to buy the album in stores or downloading it from a LEGAL site (itunes, amazon, cdbaby,etc) and going to support them when they are in a city near you.

If you fail to support your favorite artist they may not be around much longer. As record sales and ticket sales dimminish, so do the careers of the ones that are here to entertain us.

- Imani

Droppin Jewels: Million Dollar Deal

Nowadays in the Industry you hear all this talk about "Million Dollar Deals." 50 Cent got a deal worth a million, Karina Pasian of Def Jam got six figures, Alicia Keys, etc. You may have also heard the word "Advance" thrown around a few times. What you don't hear about is the fine print and that word recoup. Let's make one thing clear advance and signing bonus are two totally different things. A signing bonus is or was the labels way of saying "thank you" to the artist/band for joining their company. It was an incentive. An advance is for a lack of better words a LOAN!! This is where the music business becomes a business.

Typically an advance is given to an artist/band once a contract is negotiated. This advance is sort of a budget that includes a bonus for the artist/band. That way if the artist/band goes over budget it will cut into their earnings and not the companies. This operates as a double edged sword. If the artist/band stays under budget then it is a huge perk for them. If not they will suffer what many artist in the industry become victim to.

Now what does an advance cover? Well, the purpose of the advance is to help sustain you as an artist until your royalties and publishing checks come in. It is also used to fund your project. Now here is the fun part. After an album is released, before the artist/band sees a dime from royalties etc. the record company must recoup, or get back all the money it extended to the artist/band. Ultimately, if the album does not perform to the expectations of the label, the label will more than likely drop the artist/band due to the fact they cost them money.

In short, be mindful and careful in the industry as everything that glistens is not gold. If you are able to provide most of the financial backing for your own project do so. The struggle may be harder but the reward is much greater. If you must use a major record label, negotiate a reasonable advance in your contract, or don't take one at all, as you will have to payback what is put out.

- Imani

This Week in Rebel Culture....

Get Your Money Right: Getting Out of Debt and Staying Out of Debt

Let's be real: most of us have some sort of debt. Be it auto loans, mortgages, credit card and medical bills, or student loans. While bills (electricity, water, etc.) can't be avoided, "debt" can. There are many situations that can put us into debt, but there are also ways to make sure we stay out of it.

First, remember that cash is king! If you cant afford something at any given time, try saving up for it then buying it with cash instead of taking out a line of credit. If you buy a $150 pair of shoes with a credit card that charges 13% interest, and make the minimum payments, those shoes will cost you $163 by the time you finish paying it off. Whereas, if you would've saved $75 every two weeks, then you would have those shoes interest free in a month.

Another rule of thumb is to pay your bills on time. I know it sounds so simple, but we all have been guilty of letting a couple bills slide so we could take a trip or pay for that new outfit. That's just bad business. The quicker you pay off bills, the less interest you accrue and the more money you can save. Seeing the pattern? Bottom line, limiting what you have to pay out will maximize what you can do with what you bring in. For more information on managing and eliminating debt, check out http://www.lifetuner.org/ and http://www.money.cnn.com/. Once you have a handle on your debt, you can get your money right!

- Rico

This Week in Rebel Culture....

C.M.F- Nike Air Foamposite "Pearl" Release Date

After much anticipation, Nike has finally set a release date for the Foamposite Pro "Pearls." They will drop on September 3rd, 2010 for a heavy price tag of $200. I know a lot of folks are ready to get their hands on these. Is this a sure cop for you? Detailed pictures listed below.

New Album of the Month : 1REAZN "E.F. Hutton"

I'd like to take some time to remind yall to check out the homie 1REAZN's new album entitled "E.F. Hutton". Gotta honestly say I've been knockin the album for a week and a half and not just because I know the cat. Trust me I've had my own moments where I had to throw a CD out the window just to prove a point, not the case on this Album. It is an official banger! To describe the feel of this Album, I would say mix of TI, Kanye, and Outkast in a blender, and a brand of rap my dude calls 'Emoetry' and there you go, "E.F. Hutton". Beat selection is very fine tuned all the way down to the features that were chosen, making sure every song concept compliments each track. Here are a couple tracks that stood out to me on the album:

"Ambien" ft. Del Cruz: Beat smoother than south beach on a sunday evening, takes you to that place between a dream and being awake. Defenitely a standout track.

"Black Dynamite": One of the more fun tracks on the album , and is also complimented with an internet video (I will add the link at the end).

"Please Do": Addictive pianos flood the track and brutally honest lyrics, mainly directed at critics who have never even tried to rap so have no idea what lyricism is really about.

"One Sided" ft. Yung Wyze, Bobby Seale & Ah-nest Don: A defenite hip hip anthem, a great "takin it back" song . Each rapper speaks his heart on the game and what hip hop has meant to them.

I caught up with 1REAZN to ask him a couple of questions about his latest album and other ventures, and heres what he had to say :

How long have you been working on the new joint?

I've been working on this album for about 9 months, just really taking my time with the track selection and song concepts.

Which producers helped make the album?

I got tracks from KH Productions and Adamack Beatz of Open Minds Ent., Sho-Down of , N.I.P. of N.I.P. Productions, Best Kept Secret (Flawless Tracks out of D.C.), GM, Quron Witherspoon of Rebelizim Music, and one self-produced track.

Are there any more videos coming out?

Definitely, as soon as I get settled back here in the states I'll be scheduling the next video shoot, probably for the "Please Do" single.

Where do you see yourself as an artist 5 years from now?

I see myself remaining independent, with an established core audience, touring globally to give the best performances ever to fans worldwide.

Is there any artists out there in particular you would like to work with?

I would like to work with many artists, but to name a few: Kid Cudi, J. Cole, Wale, Janelle Monae, Joe Budden, Chrisette Michelle, B.o.B., T.I. and a few others.
There you have it, no reason to miss out on the dope tracks, y'all you can cop your own copy at :

http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/1REAZN (digital album)

(watch the Black Dynamite music video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOkKdChliWs)

1 Luv yall : Ah-nest Don

This Week in Rebel Culture....

Age Aint Nothin' But a Number

I remember when I first heard of this story and I thought to myself now, this is the type of thing that really inspires me as a human being.

Abigail Sunderland, a 16 year old from Thousand Oaks, California set out in January, 2010 to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe after her brother did it at the age of 17 in 2009. Having been around sailing her entire life she set off on her boat “Wild Eyes” to accomplish what most people couldn't even imagine considering attempting themselves.

On June 7 she reached her halfway point in the Indian Ocean and on June 10 she was overcome by stormy waters and lost all contact with civilization. Abigail had been communicating via satellite on her blog soloround.blogspot.com when her parents updated the blog with a message stating that Abigail had lost communication and her ship was dead in the water. Her parents assured the public that Abigail was both trained and properly equipped to deal with the situation and that she would be ok. On the same day she was identified by an Australian search and rescue and by June 12 she was safely aboard the French fishing vessel Ile de la Reunion.

The response that followed was an odd mixture of respect and admiration for Abigail and a sort of surprise and disappointment with the parents for allowing her to partake on such a dangerous quest.

My position on this is, if we only do what's safe and typical how are humans supposed to accomplish anything extraordinary? And more than that, if we establish restrictions on ourselves based upon societal insecurities how much are we holding ourselves back?

My point is if Abigail had not been properly prepared both mentally, and equipment-wise before she set off on her journey the story probably would have played out much differently. However, despite her circumstances it was because of her preparation and background that she was able to endure her situation.

Abigail Sunderland's attempt did a lot to inspire me as a person and its a story that certainly deserves much more recognition for its successes both by Abigail and her parents. Here is a quote from Abigail's website

"I had begun to think that dreams are meant to be no more than dreams and that in reality dreams don't come true. Then my brother (Zac) left on his trip. It was amazing to see all the support that he got from around the world and to see how everyone worked together to help make his dream reality. Watching him do this really made me believe that I could too."

Even failing at her attempt Abigail (and to some extent her brother) has delivered a huge message to those open minded enough to receive it.

The only difference between a dream and reality is action.

Despite failing at her attempt she still pursued it completely- how many other people can say the same in their lifetime?

-Javier

This Week in Rebel Culture....

Droppin Jewels: Picture in Words

Have you ever heard a song that took you on an emotional roller coaster?  Or better ye,t painted the perfect picture? What about a song that seems as if it was written just for you? Well ladies and gentlemen, you have been privied to a perfectly written song!

As a songwriter, my responsibility/your responsibility is to paint a perfect picture. Take your listeners down a path that pulls out a certain emotion.

Often times I get asked the question of where I got the idea for a certain song from. My answer is always LIFE! Life is the perfect song. I get songs from situations I am going through or from what my friends are going through.

My job as a songwriter is to give a voice to the voiceless and hope to the hopeless. I want my listener to feel as if I peaked into their journal or their mind and put what they are feeling into song.  Everyone falls in love, experiences heartache, failure, love lost, etc. Many people turn to music for comfort. They believe that if their favorite artist can feel a certain emotion and get through certain situations then so can they.

So, songwriters, don't be afraid to wear your heart on your sleeve while writing. This is your chance to bare your soul without being judged. Your chance to have your own therapy session while providing therapy to others.

Make sure you paint a clear picture because the world is listening and it is one that will never go away!

We Can See The Future

Rebelized Culture can see the future.  Therefore we are the future, and we will regulate the new status quo in the future.  You may not realize it just yet, but we do this eMagazine/blog/vlog for you.  Over time you will understand the value of a unique, unbiased, passionate, visionary form of media like Rebelized Culture. We're going to deliver articles that matter to you and your personal situations, not just what matters in hollywood or among celebrity lives.  If you're an aspiring artist, musician, photographer, dancer, actor/actress, entrepreneur, scholar, athlete, philanthropist, activist, avid collector or something unique, or whatever, then this magazine is especially for you.

Time Is On Your Side

Hustle, education, talent, and even currency itself are all tools and resources to help you achieve your financial goals. There is an additional resource for making money that many don't acknowledge, and all you have to do is… WAIT.  Time is our most valuable resource, and you can invest it wisely.

When it comes to making money, time can be your best friend or your worst enemy.  My advice: make it your friend.  The easiest way to do that is by investing as soon as possible, even if it’s only a small amount.  Let’s say person A starts saving $100 a month and does this for twenty years, earning 4% interest every month, while person B saves $200 a month, also earning the 4% interest, but only invests for 10 years. Using the monthly compound interest formula (A=P(1+r/12)^n), we see that person A will end up with $36,677 and person B rakes in $29,450.  So even though person B saved twice as much per month and got the same interest rate, they still didn’t clear as much as person A simply because of the TIME spent saving. 

Keep in mind that as you make more money through raises, promotions, or business ventures, you’ll be able to save more.  This will increase your principle, which will earn even more interest over the same amount of time.  But whether or not you decide to up your contributions, you can be sure that the money already saved is growing like a plant that only needs to be watered by TIME.  It’s great to get out there and work hard for your money.  But the sooner you make your money work for you, the sooner you won’t have to work at all.  Remember, all you need is ‘TIME’ to get your money right!

- RiCO

C.M.F- Jordan 11 "Cool Grey" Photos

What's good, Rebels? This is the first blog for C.M.F and I asked myself, "What better way to kick this column off by talking about the Air Jordan "Cool Grey" 11's." This is probably the hottest drop of the year but has had received mixed reviews from the sneaker community. The most obvious difference is the Icy Blue sole whereas the 2001 release had the infamous clear sole. Just like the Jordan 11/12 pack and the Spacejams, the Cool Greys are slated for a December release. Is this a definite cop? Or are you pinching pennies for another release like the Air Jordan "Flint" 13's?

This Week in Rebel Culture....

Beauty Beyond Skin Deep: Lisa Marie Salazar

1. What's your most embarrassing nickname?
2. What are your special hobbies?3. What's your educational background (college? certifications? etc.)?4. What are your most significant accomplishments so far in life?5. What is your family like?6. Who is the greatest influence in your life?7. What did you want to be as a child growing up?8. Are you Single? Why or why not?10. What are the standards for you as far as relationships are concerned?11. How long have you been in the Military? Why'd you join the Air Force?12. What are your goals and plans for the future?
I don’t really have an embarrassing nickname….my step brother & sisters call me "Reese’s" and to this day I’m not really sure why.



- I wouldn’t say any of my hobbies are "special". But, I love to listen to music, traveling, cooking, watching movies, playing sports, swimming and I always enjoy reading a good book.



-Currently I’m enrolled at Ashford online University. I’m two classes away from earning my CCAF (associates degree)



-I guess I would have to say joining the Air Force.



-Well, my parents divorced when I was three & I was raised by my mother; She is Caucasian & my father is Mexican. My family is awesome. My father remarried & I have 2 step sisters & 1 step brother. Between the three of them, I have 5 nephews & 2 nieces. Mexican food is my favorite so I love being around that side of the family because I get to eat homemade Mexican food and when I’m home for Christmas we all make a bunch of tamales. My mom’s side of the family is smaller but just as awesome. We all have our share of drama, but what family doesn’t?



-Hands down, my mother. She raised me and my older sister by herself. Never once did I hear her complain. She almost lost the house we lived in a few times but I didn’t know that until only a few years ago. She taught me to never give up and to never let anyone tell you that they’re better than you. All the strength and confidence I have comes from her. Saying that she is my heart does not do justice.



-As children, we’re constantly changing our minds. But for the longest time, I wanted to be a veterinarian because I love animals. I was the kid who was always finding strays or hurt animals and bringing them home with me hoping to make them better. I once brought home 3 ducklings that were wondering around our neighborhood and a pigeon with a bad wing.



-I’ve been legally separated for a while, but my divorce will be finally be finalized on 12 October 2010. I’ve been married since October 2005 and I’ve tried to make it work but I was the only one willing to change and put forth 100% effort. Marriage is a partnership and it has to be 50/50 in order for it to work. I’m looking forward to being able to move on with my life and finally be free.


9. What are your thoughts regarding men right now?

-Ahhhh, men. They say you can’t live with them & you can’t live without them. I don’t have much faith in guys & ever since I was 17, I’ve always had a wall up. I never intentionally go out looking for a guy or boyfriend, but the "bad apples" always seem to find me. You know, the ones that lie and say they’re not married, the ones that have a girlfriend at home, the man whores, the habitual liars etc. I just can’t seem to shake that type of guy. Having a man in my life isn’t a priority, I’ve never been the girl that HAS to have a man & I never will be. I’m happy on my own.



-First and for most, there needs to be respect. If both people have respect for one another that will rule out other issues. I think two other important factors are honesty and monogamy. I cannot stand liars. The only thing worse than being lied to is knowing you weren’t worth the truth. I don’t believe in second chances when it comes to being in a relationship. If you cheat, why would I give you a second chance? If you valued me or the relationship, cheating would have never happened in the first place. And I despise when people use alcohol as an excuse...that’s all it is: an excuse.



-I’ve been in the Air Force for just over five years. My mother was the one that actually suggested the military. I didn’t want to go to college because I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life & I didn’t want to work at a minimum paying job. At first I was going to join the Army but at the last minute I backed out. Then my mother mentioned the Air Force. The day we went and spoke to a recruiter was the day I signed up. I have never regretted my decision.



-The only goals I have right now are getting my bachelor’s degree (and one day obtaining my Master’s) and to make rank in the military. I want to excel at my job and just be the best person I can be. I’m currently stationed in South Korea & I work with a lot of knowledgeable Master Sergeants; they give me something to strive towards. After Korea I’ll be going to Guam, I’m excited to be on an island for at least two years and I plan on doing some traveling!

Have You Seen This? (UD3)

Long past has it been sense the time of the tournament fighter genre. Back when you could sit down and watch Jean-Claude Van Damme work his magic doing flying spinning jump kicks while screaming BAAA-DAAANG. We cant ignore the many close calls such as "Fighting" and "Never Back Down" even though the later felt more like a Karate Kid wannabe. Here we finally have a tournament fighter where the star isn't some punk kid, involved in a romance on the side.
Undisputed III: Redemption (directed by Isaac Florentine) takes place not long after Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, where previous "bad guy" Uri Boyka (played by: Scott Adkins) is now the leading character in a new struggle of life or death. A new tournament has arrived, matching the best prison fighters from around the globe, enticing them with a first place prize of freedom. Inmate Boyka must fight through the pain of a recovering knee injury if he is to reclaim his title as the most complete fighter in the world.

While UD3, suffers from a predictable story line and a recycled set of character types from the last movie, It has a steady pace of solid entertainment that I found enjoyable the whole way through. It's also recognized for having some of the best fight scene choreography to date. I have to say that UD2 was a much more whole and intriguing movie, but If your looking for simply good entertainment to put on while the friends are over, or just like the old school fighters, Undisputed III is whats up.

- Snowdjinn -

http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3648259865/


http://www.undisputed3movie.com/

This Week in Rebel Culture....