Music | Spooky Black

You know when you're searching at the bottom of your handbag, looking for your housekeys/Oyster Card/Tampon and you stumble across an unopened Starburst and your heart immediately swells with sheer happiness at the joy that life can bring?

Well, that's how I felt upon stumbling across Spooky Black a few days earlier on Soundcloud. I had a Cyril Hahn mix playing innocently in the background, and suddenly these chilling vocals and trippy beats caught my attention. I scoured the comments to see one person enthusiastically comment 'SPOOKY BLACK'. This cryptic comment could easily have been a description of the song itself as it does have a pretty, well spooky black sound... but I gave Googling it a try and was rightfully rewarded by the Soundcloud gods.

His stream is pure dishevelled R&B sexiness, his Twitter profile like one belonging to That Creepy Kid in Class That No One Speaks to But Everyone Is Shit-Scared Of.


On watching his video, directed by Gabe Broderick, my love for Mr Black has reached fever pitch. His wardrobe of choice is collated of garments seemingly dug from the bottom of your local Barnardo's Charity Shop bargain bin, the video looks as though it was shot on a Motorola Razr and JVC camcorder and editing completed in Window's 98 Movie Maker. Deliberately low-quality, with awkward framing (crotch-shots anyone?) and unexpected jarring interaction between subject and camera, makes for one of the most haunting videos I've ever laid eyes on.

Perfect.

Having had the joy of reading the comments on this vid, it seems we're all a bit divided on why a skinny, awkward white boy is sporting a doo-rag, a caricature gold chain and cavorting about in such a desolate setting. Seemingly a parody of the 90s R&B Sweetboy, Spooky Black couldn't be further from this stereotype... and I reckon that's the point. Either way, the video is refreshingly weird and it works.

Peep his video below for 'dj khaled is my father' <--- perfect title by the way



Here's some of my favourites via his Soundcloud:


And a link to his EP is here

I'm in love with a Spook from St Paul, Minnesota.

Return of the Rudeboy

Last week, Chez and I went down to Somerset House for the Return of the Rudeboy exhibition, curated by photographer Dean Chalkley and creative director Harris Elliot.

I walked along Waterloo Bridge (not the prettiest bridge in London but it has some of my favourite views in the whole of the city) to meet Cherish.

Somerset House is an absolute beauty - worth coming down just to admire the pretty building. I will probably stalk/blag/creep my way through London Fashion Week soon if I'm brave enough...


The exhibition itself was so well laid and with cool photos and even a barber shop!



The 'Rudeboy' look originating from the Jamaican immigrants of the mid-twentieth century is typified by tailoring, good shoes and a rebel edge. The look has expanded over the years to include biker jackets, trainers, bright accessories, wayfarer style sunglasses as hip hop and mod styles merge to create even more of a unique look.

I fell in love with the Rudeboy look as you can imagine, and I was able to see how it had influenced my style without me even knowing. My smart, masculine shoes, biker and a shirt are staples in my closet and I'm partial to a bit of tailoring - my double-breasted Zara jacket gets a lot of wear as do my tapered trousers.

 

Chez and I loved it. Sadly, the exhibition is over now (sorry), but the gift shop is still selling all kinds of goodies from the show (yay!).

- J x