Get the Scoop

Siyabonga Ngwekazi talks to theblagg about his favourite sneakers and a little something that he's got coming up with Nike Sportswear. We told you that we'd have the info for you two posts ago (check back after you watch this) and our name is not James - it's theblagg - but our word is bond. Remember we told you Siya would be coming to a small screen near you? Well yeah, it's a really, really small screen. Untanga will present a web-based show on the Nike and Facebook sites called Inside Scoop during the World Cup. Make of that what you will but watch this exclusive interview and leave comments.



What do ya'll think of that MCM Worldwide monogram jacket?

Photography To The Max

thblagg's good friend Max, Moeketsi Moticoe to you, recently relocated from the Vaal Triangle via Jozi to Cape Town. Yes, the Mother City has offered her bosom to the young yet extraordinary photographer. Nothing is getting him off her tit, believe that.

The latest in Max's body of work is a slide show of Cape Town's (particularly Long Street) night life and portraits of those who walk CT's streets at these times. Life. He snaps away at striking guys and beautiful ladies posing and takes shots of cats that make you want to believe their pose comes naturally. It's called A Long Fashionable Night and can be found on The Times Live. Enjoy:


Updated to say:
Max is really chuffed about this slideshow and explains, exclusively to theblagg, the thinking behind it: "Since day one of my stay in Cape Town I was just inspired by the sense of dress code that exists in this town and more particularly in Long Street night life. Most locals and visitors go out regularly to this street as it's the heart of Cape Town city and you find that most people pride themselves in the way they dress - going to any extreme without feeling embarrassed or like they're attracting attention of any sort. I also realised that many people who are around this street think the city comes alive more at night. The thing that inspired me a lot was the dignity and pride most young or old people uphold in expressing themselves fully in their sense of dress code in a town/street which accepts them as they are, any way they want to look. This kind of culture allows anyone, with any kind of style of fashion to feel free and happy in their own space. It allowed me the freedom of dressing in my own space and by that inspiration I decided to document it and share people's voices and my own voice at the same time."

Vaal Triangular son, to be particular!

Lets Get Kronk!

Yeah, this is what Dude looked like when he found out adidas was trying to charge R6500 for a varsity jacket. Hehehe, but this is about bigger things. This is about the man who collaborated with Kidrobot and brought us this 8" Dunny Tree Hugger Snowflake from the 2009 Munnyworld Toy Exhibition. This is about Kronk.

Unlike what you might have thought, Kronk is not an Eastern European energy drink. Kronk, known to those close to him as Kris Hewitt, is actually a illustrator/designer from Cape Town - where else? But why is he so important right now you ask? Well because Nike finally did it and collaborated with a South African artist! That's right, South Africa's Kronk is the first AFRICAN artist to collaborate with Nike.


Here is Itumeleng Khune in a tee from the collab.

Kronk x Nike Sportswear's collection is called Bleed Your Colours and will be officially launched in Melville on Friday May 7. SAVE THE DATE. As seen in this mini-ad below, the cool kids of our country ride bikes, run on the side walks and we see the face of the pint-sized character that rushes by everyone nje nge svung-vung that leaves behind a trail of colour. The green, black and yellow of our flag bleeds down a public telephone and drips down walls.


So what is this collaboration all about? We pinched this info from Hypbeast:
"This year, Nike worked with established and emerging artists from six countries to create alternative National Team Kits that flip the script on the classic football kit. The Nike team asked artists to contribute a badge, mascot, print and an alphabet in their handwriting style. Each collaboration includes N98 Track Jacket, AW 77 hoodie, kit tee, polo shirt and short for both men and women; then tee for men and tank for women."

The good folks at Nike tell theblagg that Nunca from Brasil, James Jarvis from England, So-Me from France, Delta from Netherlands, Mister Cartoon from the USA, and Kronk representing South Africa were the lucky six. On why he chose to design his collection this way, Kronk said, "For the crest, I looked at all the PSL teams logos, and decided that if our national side is made up from these teams, I would recreate and unify all these logos around uniquely South African influenced elements.”





You've seen what kind of damage Kronk can do when it comes to toys so a mascot was no-thing (say it like Morale) to him. This running-man-demon-looking mascot seems like a bit of a balloon-boy busy body blowing a vuvuzela. But why does he have elastoplast on his head? Our kind of football hooligan. theblagg likes! And with us hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup, it's only fitting that Bleed Your Colours make such a huge statement in the world of design.



As a part of the Cape Town-based creative house Amicollective, Kronk has worked with brands like Red Bull, Coke, Microsoft, Kid Robot and Superga so it comes as no surprise that Nike Sportswear would wanna give him the business. No Yung Berg. This collection can be found at the Gallery on 4th in Melville, Johannesburg as well as Nike Sportswear inside the V&A Waterfront in Cape Front from this Friday. Kronk's Team South Africa kit is better looking than the real thing. What say you jury?

PS: Yes, that it Siyabonga Ngwekazi rocking a Bleed Your Colours jacket. He has a collaboration - on television of course - with Nike coming to a small screen near you real soon. theblagg has the er, scoop and will serve you with the quickness. Just you wait.

Kanye West in a rap battle

Kanye has been made into a cartoon again. This time its for The Cleveland Show What ya'll think?

Parra x Madlib tee

Stones throw are at it again. After a series of collaborations with Stussy for J. Dilla tees and doccie, comes another tee collab. This time its between Madlib and the Dutch Illustrator Parra(Dude is a huge fan). Parra, who has collaborated with brands ranging from Nike to Vans, put his own spin on the LA Dodgers logo to create a new Madlib design. This is said to be a first of a series of Madlib tees to come. This tee is now available on Stone's Throw Here is the tee.



For those who are not familiar with the work of Parra, here is some of his other work.



Your thoughts?