For those of you that missed out on our release date at Frank’s Chop Shop earlier this month, you can now purchase this limited collabo skateboard deck on Frank151.com in the NOVELTY section! There were only 151 pieces produced in collaboration with SHUT Skates. All artwork was custom done by Steve Ellis. Another key feature on this design is the quote from Ben Franklin on the top of the deck which reads “A slip of the foot you may soon get over, but a slip of the tongue may never get over.” Act fast and purchase this collectable deck for $60.

David Lee of the Knicks and ESPN’s Max Kellerman rolled thru Frank’s Chop Shop for the finale to their D.Lee Do campaign with vitaminwater this weekend, and the press invaded the Frank’s like a swarm of locusts.

ABC, CBS, MSG, ESPN, NBC, Fox News, the Post (and who knows who else) were all in the house…  More than 30 cameras and crews crammed into the Chop Shop for a peek of Mr Bee working his scissor magic on the Knicks’ star Forward.

Check out these videos of David Lee and his new Chop Shop ‘do, courtesy of vitaminwater, the NY Knicks, and your local news….

The Barcode

Displaying yet again that most public school officials are totally out of touch with their students’ reality, a Portland, Oregon high school has begun suspending students who rock thin shaves on their eyebrows.

School officials and local police claim the symbols can be used to symbolize gang activity. “This is a way for them to identify each other. In a school setting, it intimidates other kids,” a Portland cop explained to the Associated Press. Keeping our students safe from themselves, eh, officer? Keep up that important work, buddy. We’ll see you at the next D.A.R.E. event.

Seriously, how long has this kind of thing been going on? It seems like just the other day kids were gettin suspended for wearing red and black… for wearing doo rags… for wearing trenchcoats… for rocking mohawks or spiked bracelets… for shirts with drug references… even “Coed Naked” shirts earned their fair share of suspensions back in the day. And then there was the whole “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” debate last year….

If they’re so worried the kids are getting into gangs, why is the tactic to keep them OUT of school? Spending the day on the street instead is hardly a punishment. Sounds to us like these school administrators and police need to go back and get some more schooling themselves.

In the meantime, roll thru Frank’s Chop Shop and get yourself trimmed up with an eyebrow fade — show your solidarity for the Portland kids, and stick it to the Man!  

For months we’ve teased you with rumors of the Shut Skates x Frank’s Chop Shop x Steve Ellis skate deck. Frank friends, the wait is finally over. The limited edition deck is now available in the ‘novelty’ section of the frank151.com online store, and at Frank’s Chop Shop. We spoke with Steve Ellis, the man responsible for the deck art, about his show at Frank’s Chop Shop, working with SHUT Skates, and some of his other projects.

(more…)

Lately there’s been a debate over hip-hop’s vital signs: dead for years, alive and well, comatose…. While the state of hip-hop in the US all depends on who’s taking its pulse, it looks to be in good health elsewhere in the world.

From graffiti to breaking to beats, from the UK to Germany to Russia, like it or not, all things hip-hop have exploded in Europe. And anyone who says they’re not doing it well isn’t paying close enough attention.

Take for example rapper and producer Sam The Kid. Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, Sam has built upon the foundation of a traditionally American art form to create something that is at once uniquely Portuguese and universally enjoyable.

Frank151 recently had the opportunity to speak with Sam The Kid at Frank’s Chop Shop (where else do you go on your first visit to NYC?).

Interview after the jump…

(more…)

About a week ago, the West Coast super group Strong Arm Steady stopped by Frank’s Chop Shop to parlay with us a little…

L-R: Krondon, Mitchy Slick, Todd Nisbet of FRANK151, Phil da Agony

We caught up with Phil da Agony, Krondon and Mitchy Slick, as they dropped knowledge on us about their current projects, touring and the new album. Follow the jump to peep more pics and read the conversation.

(more…)

Time for another edition of our CUT by CUT feature — a conversation with the notorious Chop Shop barbers about the tunes they’ve been clippin’ to lately.  Always unique, always insightful.  [Click here to read the last edition.] 

FRANK151: What have you guys been playing the last couple weeks?

MR. BEE: Well, everybody loves Santogold right now.  We’ve been playing a lot of Santogold.  We got this really new compilation, An England Story — it’s 25 years of the history of MC’s in England.

FRANK151: Is it the one from Heatwave?  We posted that mixtape, plus videos for a lot of the tracks, like a month ago.

MR. BEE: Oh, no way!  That got by me.  I just saw the cover in a record store, and I thought, “That’s me.”

FRANK151: It’s from The Heatwave, this amazing dancehall, dub and grime site in the UK.  They do podcasts and stuff too.  It’s a great site.

MR. BEE: My favorite track on there is London Posse’s “Money Mad”.  Basically, Big Audio Dynamite — you know, Mick Jones [of the Clash] and Don Letts — were hanging out in some club in London and saw these kids rapping [including UK legend Rodney P].  So they’re like, “Yo, come on tour with us.  We’re Big Audio Dynamite.”  And these kids didn’t even have a group.  They were just kids, just kind of spitting, doing their reggae/hip hop thing.  So they called it a group, real quick.  Next thing you know, they were on tour with Big Audio Dynamite.  They were about 14 years old, and they got this track, “Money Mad“…  You know, Mad Lion was known in  New York City as the Jamaican hip-hop guy, but these guys were doing it way before him.  They’re sort of the foundation to that reggae/hip hop fusion.  So that’s my track, man.  I love that one.

(more…)

Ralphie knows Frank…. 

Frank’s Chop Shop was highlighted recently on Rugby Ralph Lauren’s online cityguide show, Around the Corner…. ’nuff respect! 

Produced, directed and edited by the amazingly talented Crystal Moselle, the show features Rugby hosts exploring classic L.E.S. spots, like Cafe Habana and our very own Chop Shop.    

Check the episode here, featuring some straight-razor action from Mr Bee and… well, cupcakes.

And go here to catch more of Crystal’s work – especially her excellent series on VBS.tv, called Bay Area’s Rap Daddy… It’s a moving portrait of her father, and the work he does as a producer for Bay Area hip-hop & hyphy kids serving time.