A-Trak grew up with being labeled a child DJ prodigy by many, but despite that heavy label, he’s been able to deliver above and beyond anybody’s expectations. Constantly coming up dopness to give us eargasms on projects like Sunglasses is a Must, to Dirty South Dance and now Infinity + 1 and his Fabriclive mix. Expanding beyond his own music he co-founded record label Fool’s Gold Records with friend and fellow DJ, Nick Catchdubs and discovering KiD CuDi. He’s currently on his 10,000lb Hamburger Tour which features Fool’s Gold DJ, Treasure Fingers and Theophilus London, which is stopping throughout various cities in North America.

Killahbeez: A-Trak, thanks for taking the time to do this interview.

A-Trak: All good…

KB: Lets’ talk Infinity +1, how does this project differ from Dirty South Dance, which was a personal favorite on repeat for a straight year.

A-Trak: Thanks man. This mix CD is completely different. The whole concept of Dirty South Dance was based on bootlegs that I was making with rap acapellas and electro tracks. That was a new sound in 2007 but I can’t do that anymore. Infinity +1 is much more based on the montage of songs itself, rather than the individual songs. And musically it’s in another vein.

KB: It seems that this new release features more of an electro/disco/house vibe to it. Is that reflective of your personal taste has evolved over the years?

A-Trak: Yeah that’s correct , it’s got a sort of spacey vibe to it. Of course my taste and my selections evolve with time. Up until 5 years ago I was mostly playing hip hop. Around the time that I put out my DVD (Sunglasses Is A Must) and did that tour with The Rub I started playing more party sets. When I made the Dirty South Dance CD I was getting interested in electronic music. I’ve dug deeper into that since then and now I think I pick and choose from all those areas and pick my selections depending on the context.

KB: In an interview that our writer, AJK, did with your brother, Dave 1, they touched on how Chromeos’ sound and your sound are starting to fall in line. Growing up how much of an influence did your older brother play in the music that you listened to? Do you two still bounce material off of one another?

A-Trak: Dave played a huge influence on me when we were growing up, in terms of listening to music. Basically I would listen to whatever he and his friends were listening to. Now we share a lot of music. Yes he’s definitely the first person to hear my demos and give me feedback, and vice versa for Chromeo.

KB: Switching topics to fashion. It’s clear that you have an appreciation for fashion, you’ve modeled for Sixpack’s lookbook, what was that experience like and are you doing more stuff down the road?

A-Trak: Doing the Sixpack lookbook was fun, I’ve collaborated with that brand many times over the years so I’m always happy to do more stuff with them. I’ve been asked by more brands but I turn down a lot of things. I actually wear Sixpack tees so it made sense for me to do that shoot.

KB: Staying on the topic of fashion, you hit up Paris for fashion week. Which shows were you able to take in and were there any pieces that stood out in your mind?

A-Trak: Yeah I went to Paris fashion week with Kanye. It was women’s fashion week though I can’t really recall specific pieces, it was more about taking in all the creativity. I saw Givenchy, YSL, Hussein Chalayan, Viktor & Rolf and Sonia Rykiel.

KB: Going back to music, I’ve heard that you and Solange Knowles are working on some music and a record between yourself and Armand Van Helden. Are there any other collaborations or remixes that you have planned next?

A-Trak: Yes I worked on a track with Solange and I’m sure we’ll do more. She’s a great writer and has a very open mind. Sure there are more collaborations planned but I won’t tell you everything! I will tell you that I just completed an EP with Armand Van Helden which is coming out on Fool’s Gold.

KB: What else is on the agenda for A-Trak?

A-Trak: Wrapping up a few remixes and I’m going to start on an A-Trak record soon.

KB: Any departing words for the readers out there? Thanks again for taking the time.

A-Trak: Support Fool’s Gold! Kid Sister album coming soon. Thanks for the support.

Photo: Matt Barnes

What is the ultimate luxury in high quality candy?  I came across photos of Massimo Gammacurta’s logo lollipops.  The recession may have us holding back on purchasing high-end brands but Gammacurta’s lollipops may suffice for inner-shopping indulgences.

The LV, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent lollipops come in different flavors.

Source: Grend Hunter

Yves Saint Laurent invites you to experience Stefano Pilati’s third “Manifesto” featuring Naomi Campbell for the Fall / Winter 2008 – 2009 collection, which is set to debut this Saturday, September the 6th. Should you be located in New York, Tokyo, Hong Kong or Paris you should check out your local YSL store as they are giving away a free tote bag for the promotion of this campaign.

Image: Nitrolicious

Some fresh new kicks for the 2008 Fall / Winter season from Yves Saint Laurent. I know my mans AJK, will appreciate these joints for sure with their soft leather materials, classic clean lines and 80’s silhoutte what’s not to love. Coming in black or white or black with white gum soles, these are instant must have for the fellas. Check out www.ysl.com for more information on the upcoming collection.

Image: www.ysl.com

Here’s a fancy shoe, the Tribute, from Yves Saint Laurent (also available in purple, not as hot). To me, this shoe screams little black dress and posh event. But I really like the black suede and open toe platform style. The gold piping is just the icing on the cake. I see this more as a winter/Christmas party shoe, but one gift that will keep giving year round.

Image source: www.barneys.com

Reported just a few hours ago on USA Today’s website is the death of Yves Saint Laurent. The fashion legend, 71, passed away in Paris on Sunday. Pierre Berge, Saint Laurent’s business partner for four decades, said he had died at his Paris home following a long illness.

Saint Laurent’s three-letter monogram is perhaps as synonymous with — and significant to — 20th-century style as T.S. Eliot’s is with literature. He was “unquestionably the greatest designer” from the 1950s to 2000, says Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT (New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology). Saint Laurent’s influence and magnitude is eclipsed only by Coco Chanel, Steele says. “Just as Chanel brought modernism into women’s fashion, you could say Yves Saint Laurent brought fashion up to a kind of contemporary life. – USA Today

Personally I first heard of YSL when I moved to the city in ‘98 and became a bit more fashion conscious. His line was definitely clean with a casual touch. Also the fragrance Live Jazz was a personal favorite of mine for years and still is a classic fragrance in my mind.