May
18
Mar
13
In January I went to L.A. for a couple of days, smart as I am I went back to Germany right during Grammy Week. Everybody is in town during that week, all the parties are going down, and I am leaving. I left on a Saturday, so the first pre-grammy parties went down Friday, I was able to catch at least one party. There are hundreds of parties in L.A. that night, so its hard to choose where to go, but Dre invited me to his Beats Music party, so how can you say no?
I got there pretty late, and nobody was allowed to go in at that point. Great! Even though I was on the list and everything, no chance. The capacity of the building was reached hours ago. So I kind of managed to get to the front of the line, since I was invited, I already had my wrist band. There were like 6 Security people at the door holding people back, and every minute somebody walked up to them and tried to talk their way in. Even I am usually good with that, what excuse can you give them? They already saying no to everybody. So while at the front of the line I got all the way against the wall and once security was in a discussion with somebody, quick turn, quick jump over the door band, quick fake conversation as I saw a guy that I never have seen before and … I am in!
Best move ever, best decision ever, since nobody really knew what was going on … everybody was there. I got in and ran right into the homie Crooked I. Turned around, here is Drake … took a quick photo of Crooked I and him, then made my way to the stage. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony just finished performing. Let me share the line up:
– Ice Cube: Today Was A Good Day
– Cypress Hill: Insane In The Brain
– Geto Boys: Minds Playing Tricks On Me
– Souls of Mischief: 93 til Infinity
– Pharcyde: Passin Me By
– Method Man & Redman: How High
– Bone Thugs-N-Harmony: Thuggish Ruggish Bone *that’s when I entered the building*
– Nas: Nas Is Like / If I Ruled The World
– Dr. Dre: California Love
– Black Street: No Diggy
– Diddy / Ma$e: Cant Nobody Hold Me Down / More Money, More Problems
– Busta Rhymes: Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See
– Eminem: My Name Is / Real Slim Shady / Lose Yourself
Feb
15
I first heard about Iza Lach shortly after she got signed to Snoop, I think it was Soopafly that told me. We both were working on a different project for him at that time and he told me Snoop started to work with some artist from Poland and asked if I knew her. I didn’t.
A week ago Iza came to Hamburg to play a show at the Prinzenbar. Before the place was turned to a bar – which happened a long time ago – Prinzenbar was the first movie theater in Germany. Prior to her arrival in Hamburg I wrote Iza to see if she would be down to meet up and I would just take photos during the night. It was her second time in Hamburg, the first time she performed at the Reeperbahnfestival in September 2013.
After they arrived in Hamburg, I went over to meet them at the sound check. It was the first time for me meeting her and her band. It was one of the moments where you meet somebody and basically feel at the same second you knew that person for 10+ years … we spoke about their hometown Łodzi, how Snoop went there after signing her to shoot 14 videos in 14 days and how that was the most international and probably biggest thing to happen to the polish music scene ever and how she would have to go to a NY Knicks game to hand Woody Allen a movie script.
As soon the sound check was finished we all went to grab something to eat at their preferred italian restaurant. The show started around 9 pm and went on for an hour. I was not familiar with her music at all. Of course I heard stuff here and there and saw a couple of videos, but that’s it. I was totally amazed by the performance of the whole band. The place was not too packed but it was full enough to create an intimate and private atmosphere, and every guest somehow had a special connection with her that night.
The next morning I met Iza and the band at the studio to take some more photos. It was pretty spontaneous but turned out great. After the session they stayed for a while before they left back to Poland. I think, and hope, you will see more collaborations in the future between Iza and me. Until then …
You can check for Izas music and updates on the following outlets: Soundcloud.com, Facebook.com and Instagram.
Dec
27
