To spark the jumpoff Havana Club partnered with Intercity to commission sneaker freaker Alex Nash (aka NashMoney) to create a piece of artwork as part of the Inspired Ingenuity project. Ironically enough, Nash was 3 years ahead of the came. With a book full of sketches , “Sneaker Speakers” was a project that he would hopefully get around to one day. He finally got around to it alright and the end result is definitely fresh, ridiculously serious. Below are few excerpts from an interview with Nash, done by Art+Sole regarding theory, process, and the end result.

Why did you choose the Nike Air Force 1 as your starting point – was it the outsole? Yes, the outsole was one of the main reasons as it has such a flat sole to sink the speaker cone level against. The fact that the Air Force 1 is probably one of the worlds most recognisable and iconic sneakers was a plus.

We know you’ve put a huge amount of work into the project, can you tell us a little about the process involved in making the speakers? This is a simplified list of what had to be done, and when each process is new to you (combined with the fact there is no room for error), you have to take each step very slowly and carefully.

note: sort order of pictures does not represent the process order 1. Dismantle the amp and speakers 2. Meticulously take apart the control panel, switches, nodules and input sockets (checking at each stage to make sure things still worked – and solving any problems)

10. Add a small plaque, depicting what does what on the sneaker control panel

With beats bumping in the same direction, The Bed-Sty Brooklyn residents managed to create an outlet that incorporated their loves and skill in regards to music and design. Their main objectives in the collab: design, beat dig, create quality music, and have fun while doing it all. With heavy details in sight and sound, the final product is 360 degrees Grade A material. We’ve had their current album, The Stuyvesants in heavy rotation and highly recommend it. It’s available as a complimentary download at thestuyvesants.com. Enjoy. 

Click here to view the embedded video.

Skateboard P

“The bicycle’s frame and fork are hand made in Brooklyn, NY by Brooklyn Machine Works. The bike is then shipped to Domeau & Pérès in Paris where it takes them over 100 man hours to upholster it in leather (water buffalo). All the stitching work is done by hand. The idea came together in 2009 after a visit to the Brooklyn Machine Works shop by Pharrell and Domeau & Pérès, who had previously worked together on Pharrell’s first design project the “Perspective Chairs” with the Perrotin Gallery in Paris. The frame and forks are made out of 4130 chromemoly seamless airplane grade steel tubing. The frame size is 56.

Bikes are available in a variety of leather colors but each color is an edition of one and once purchased that color choice will no longer be available. 12 bikes + 1 AP and publisher proof”

The most significant and relevant advancement is that of connectivity with other brands and technologies. The DJM-2000 & Traktor PRO form together like Voltron for a forward thinking rock solid dj experience, plug and play right out of the box. No hacking or headaches. “None of the other hardware technologies have the ability to communicate like the 2000. This mixer let’s you know that Pioneer is winning” ~ DJ Rob Wonder / Full rundown courtesy of Pioneer pro after the jump.

If you’re looking for a mixer that matches our new industry-standard CDJ-2000 digital decks in power and performance, look no further.

Developed with the help of a number of international DJs, this innovative mixer aims for relevance in both functionality and operation to give you total creative freedom.

Designed with an integrated system approach to simplify the ever-expanding DJ booth, the DJM-2000 has the effects technology of the EFX-1000 built in. The 6 individual effects processors allow you to create your own unique sounds in conjunction with a stunning industry-first multi-touch panel: a completely new approach to mixing.

Also featuring a rotary control and Tap and Trace methods, you get an intuitive layout so you’ll be able to focus on creative mixing at all times. Plus 3 new performance modes including MIDI (with four layouts) make every DJing scenario possible.

Connecting has never been easier

Enjoy advanced connectivity. ProDJ Link connects up to 4 CDJ-2000s/900s and 2 rekordbox™ laptops together so DJs can easily share their libraries and switch sets. Also, you can quickly sample live recordings, see status information (like live on-air status, channel number and more) on connected decks, and Cue Link lets you listen to rekordbox tracks via a dedicated Cue channel.

Connect your laptop and use its audio signal for mixing, too. With the USB four-channel sound card built in (switchable to three-channel at 24-bit), it’s never been easier.

The DJM-2000 uses a balanced output amp and its completely discrete structure allows the sound quality in each bandwidth to be adjusted. We pursued the ideal club sound by creating a sound down to the very details of how sound resonates.

Functionality, connectivity and quality make the DJM-2000 the ultimate club mixer.

Phase 2 - The Roxy / Label: Celluloid 1982

Rammellzee & K-Rob - Beat Bop / Label: Tartown 1983 / Artwork: Jean-Michel Basquiat

DJ Vadim - USSR: The Art of Listening / Label: Ninja Tune 2002 / Design: Darco

VA - Urban Renewal Program / Label: Chocolate Industries 2002 / Design: GHAVA

VA - Wild Style OST / Label: Rhino 1983 / Artwork: Zephyr