The Popup Vol 2

2nd May 2020
5PM-UTC [10AM in LA – 1PM in NYC – 1AM in HK]
TokenSmart Lounge [Cryptovoxels]

Artwork by
Tha Black Cat
Featuring
Second Womb, JBO, Dragon Fli Empire, Galexia and DJ Hiroking & Steph Pockets
Hosted by
Vandal

This is our 2nd installment of The Popup and we're excited to implement the upgrades and ways we've discovered to make your experience better! We had a number of issues during the previous event and you can read about how we're going to improve here.

Interview Zone

* The interviews are slowly coming in so we'll update this page accordingly!

Tha Black Cat

1. Who was your first Art teacher and how did you start?

I grew up watching my mum doing 'canting' art on 'Batik', an ancient art on fabrics that have been practiced for 2,000 years in South East Asia. Most of her 'Batik' creations are a school of fishes and flowers. My mum also owns beautiful handwriting, following the path of her father and so I was trained to write beautifully since primary school. Over time, I copied my mum's handwriting and how she signs her name. I started to play around with typography since primary 6, writing my name in block letters not knowing that it was gonna lead me to graffiti until I got into University with a Diploma in Graphic Design. One of my favorite lecturers suggested that I learn how to study graffiti letters because he noticed my passion for Hip Hop & my love for typography and started to do it in graffiti form since 2006. A few years later, a friend requited me as part of a graffiti crew in 2012 and then another in 2013 before leaving both crews behind and pursuing graffiti solo until today, representing 'SWK' a short form for my state called Sarawak. The obsessions I have for zinc and concrete walls made me want to leave my mark every time & anywhere I could. That leads me to be recognized by organizations, and the government, also local and international clients to paint on their walls. Co-founded an art group called 9Lives with a local artist friend in 2014, before leaving the group in 2016 to focus more on my solo career. For the love of where I came from, Kuching city or known as the Cat city, and also my admiration for black cats, I developed a black cat character throughout the years. Not forgetting the graphic design background that leads me here today, designing for clients, myself, and also for the Borneo Hip Hop community.

2. You also dabble in music, what's your favorite song, and why?

There's a lot of ongoing lists of my fave songs, mostly because of the beats, the lyrics, and the titles. My Papa is a self-taught sound engineer, composer & keyboardist, therefore, I grew up loving music as it is my first love before art and poetry. However, my current favorite on repeat is 'Nebuta' by Awich (a Japanese female rapper). The beat for this song uplifts my mood, while the lyrics give me inspiration & motivation to be productive, kicking ass while I'm still alive. This song works like chants to my ears, as 'Nebuta' is a yearly festival celebrated by the Japanese and it is thought that the festival began as a way of waking up sleepy souls with the fall harvest season coming up. So, buckle up for me to get myself aligned on my daily grind!

3. How many pairs of shoes do you own and which is your favorite?

8 pairs of sneakers, 10 or more pairs of high heels and pumps, and 6 pairs of boots. My favorite would be my all-black Air Force 1, for sure! It's my go-to shoes for me to go painting, to go hang out, to go to events, or even to dinner sometimes.

Dragon Fli Empire

1. Who and what is Dragon Fli Empire?

Dragon Fli Empire is a hip hop duo from Calgary, Alberta, Canada consisting of Teekay and DJ Cosm. We make classically inspired, soulful, hip hop. We preserve the MC/DJ formula in the footsteps of Gang Starr and Pete Rock & CL Smooth. We've been making making music together since 2002.

2. If it wasn't a Dragon Fly, what animal would represent he crew and why?

We're kind of like Moles; we don't run with any heard or flocks and we typically stick to the underground.

3. If you had to package the next album in a cereal box, which would it be?

In Canada we now have Maple Syrup Cheerios, that's gotta be our joint lol