Las Vegas.

The city of lost wages – which explains why the local pawn shops stock Civil War paraphernalia and Picasso originals. On every flight to Vegas on Jet Blue, I usually make the most of the in flight entertainment while watching the History Channel. History buff? Maybe. I am more of a fan of reality shows based on dysfunctional family run businesses.

Pawn Stars is just that. Three generations of pawn shop politics and the occasional comic relief. While hanging with the homie Jon Buscemi, I learned that we were both fans of the show and decided to take a field trip down to the shop. Burn Rubber Rick rode shot gun to witness what happens when we are bored.

What did we learn? Lets see…

1. It was a 35 dollar cab ride there and a 17 dollar cab ride back. Same distance.
2. Gregy’s custom Gourmet pendant which is worth a pretty penny isn’t worth much in the house that “The Old Man” built.
3. The definition of random lies beneath the glass counters of a pawn shop.
4. The chewing tobacco spitting, Nascar hat wearing cowboy behind the pawn counter is a DICK.

The Goods

A line behind a velvet rope to get in

Can’t stop the profit

Apparently a ceramic double wolf head statue is worth something to someone

Jon will sniff out a pair of rare frames anywhere. He hangs out at Lasik surgery centers to collect the glasses patients won’t be needing anymore

I don’t think MLK dreamt that a bust of his head would be behind the counter at a pawn shop

Rick looks like Large Professor

Yeah Jon, I know we wasted our time.

Nike put together a very cool dinner party for their top retailers which included the incomparable and legendary DJ Premier providing the tunes. On a sad note, Premo was supposed to be joined by the late great DJ AM for this event and wore a tee shirt which featured a photo of them together in his honor.

It was amazing to finally see Premo doing his thing live and meeting him was a real highlight.

Great music, atmosphere and food (ok… the food was a little weird). Thanks Nike

Chedda and Ian of Expressions

w DJ Premier

Lebron 7 preview

Before the first day of the Magic / Project / Capsule run in Vegas, I charged the ol’ battery with my good friend Rick Williams co-owner of the Burn Rubber Sneaker Boutique that runs the “Motor City”. I learned a few things that morning.

1. Rick knows what is “ill” and what is not “ill” the same way I know when Chedda is violently drunk (meaning ready to beat an innocent bystander’s face open in the club because he could of sworn he was eyeing him from the DJ booth. He was the DJ and was just trying to play records Chedd.)

2. He like grape jelly on his eggs.

3. As being a prescription eyeglass wearer myself on the constant hunt for the flyest frames, Rick was one step ahead of me with the Fragment designed Uniform Experiment frames. Fucking dope.

4. Detroit dudes don’t ever travel alone. Shouts to Ro Spit and the goons… “BA got caught with….?”

Side note: be careful when your in Pontiac, Michigan. Nuff said.