After deciding to fade the hell out of now-hypefest SXSW – and gladly so – I linked up with GOLDPYRMDZ’s Max Hliva and Smokers Cough’s Rosegold at their residency in Williamsburg in Brooklyn. My visit was not business related nor intended to generate a post this morning, however, there were some noteworthy moments of recapping, of which I felt would be best represented through visuals captured from the impromptu photo session held on the rooftop of their building at 12 in the morning. My lens I’ve used for the past 7 years finally passed on to its next life after the aperture ring got stuck from god only knows – kit lenses made of more plastic than a solo cup, not surprised it gave out finally. So, Max let me use his Samyang 35mm T1.5 lens for the night – of which is one of the best lenses I’ve used in my life. All metal, aperture settings controlled on the lens itself, smooth as honey Jack. Digressing, there’s something really special about procuring friendships with the people you build with, developing multi-layered relationships between others that work as hard as you. Bonds based in mutual understandings of growth, hustle, spiritedness and self-motivation are rare to come by, so it was refreshing to come through and spend time with these two. Conclusively, plans were discussed, visions were rendered into active goals, and our hustler mentalities transfused into great conversation over corner store food and 40z, the sounds of Oxymoron, trashing Trinidad James’ garbage performance at Westwood, 50’s authentic New York flow, and photography with limited lighting and $10 Sunpak external flash. But, I’ll end my narrative on that and let the visuals below do the rest of the talking.

Xcursionary Tales: GOLDPYRMDZ X SMOKERS COUGH

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

March 11, 2014