COOL MUSIC; BEST BEEF EVER?

In allllll my years as a grime fan (13 or so), I am sure that I haven't been lucky enough to witness a better one-on-one, bar-for-bar 'beef' than the ongoing brawl between two of grime's pioneers.. P-Money a.k.a. Paris Moore-Wiliams & Dot Rotten a.k.a Zeph Ellis a.k.a Joseph Ellis-Stevenson, formerly of the same grime crew 'The OGz'.

Tbh, P's been involved in a fair so many beefs with a few big names that I was starting to think I knew everything bad about Paris. On the other hand, Dot Rotten's been in the backseat of the grime whip for so long now it could have been easy to believe that P had this in the bag. But both share one thing (besides double barrelled surnames) is that they are both KINGS when it comes to lyrics and wordplay.

This is the timeline of events so far;

"Dot Rotten Sent For P Money With

Dot Rotten - Organised Grime Freestyle (P Money Diss)

Then P Money Replied With 

P Money - Real Talk (Dot Rotten Diss) 

Followed By 

P Money - Liars In The Booth (Dot Rotten Diss)

Then Dot Rotten Came Back With A Longer Reply 

Dot Rotten - Real Talk (P Money Diss) 

Then P Money Replied With 

P Money - Did You Notice? (Dot Rotten Diss) 

Then Dot Replied With

Dot Rotten - Facts (P Money Diss)

Plus

Dot Rotten - Steak Bake (P Money Diss)

Now P's replied with..

P Money - I Got Bars/Man Like Peri (Dot Rotten Diss)

"

Wiley Vs Kano was my introduction to grime on the first ever Lord of the Mics, so I guess I've had 0 choice but to LOVE clashes ever since. I thought that P was at the tip of his peak in his clashes against Ghetts and the Big H but Dot Rotten has forced Mr. Moore-Williams to level up once again and credit to him.

The latest update I have is that P Money has released a mixtape called 'Snake EP 2', exclusively containing all of his disses, available on SPOTIFY, LOL.. Again another first for a grime beef. 

not taken by moi

Dot Rotten's undoubtedly a don. I have to admit, I've had to do a quick few searches to update my limited knowledge on him, but his name has been synonymous with grime from day one - I know that much. He's produced for nearly everyone and is one of the best lyricists and a minority's shout for the best in grime.

taken by moi

I personally don't know what to make of it, obviously. Both artists are accusing each other of lying and that never helps, both are also using the names of dead people in their defences, making it doubly

impossible to know who's telling the truth. All I know is that after watching P Money for YEARS and meeting him in person a few times, I've even been face-to-face with him on the stage of a big fest and I am positive that he is way to nice to be a roadman. Meaning I naturally can't buy into his version of events to well. I think Dot has no reason to lie whereas P does.

P snapchatted a couple of days ago saying that he was "29, nearly 30" and has "0 time" for the throwing the term 'liar' back and forth between him and Joseph Ellis-Stevenson - before proceeding to call Rotten out on lies he had apparently told, he then said that the next diss he drops this Wednesday will be his last. Dot is 28, so age means nothing and it will be interesting to see if Paris keeps to his word.

Click the links to find out more on the madness!!

COOL MUSIC; 67 *POLL*

South London GOONS '67' have just shut down the whole of London with the launch of their latest album entitled 'The Glorious Twelfth'.

The albums perfectly embodies grime's new, brixton drill sound. They haven't tried to do anything out of their comfort zone and it's worked well for them. The first track 'Rolling Up' is a perfect and somewhat calm (compared to some of the other tracks) introduction to a hyped album. 

The albums also features tracks 'Look How Life's Changed.', 'Waps' & 'Guwop'. My personal favourite is 'Rolling Up' the first track (its probably playing out of your laptop/mobile device right now) - and that's purely down to the piano that plays periodically throughout. In all honesty, picking a favourite is too difficult - the whole ting is just too CONSISTENT.

Do make sure you have absolutely no family to see for around a week if you're planning to listen to this album from start to finish.. Listening to bars like 'Nuff DJs spin dem hits, but we just spin dem 40s *BOWW*' & 'The opps don't come to the Hill, if they say the do but they fibbin'! Come to my block, bare gunshots, could be dipping *TRUU*' on full blast may just leave you with a permanent screw-face & attitude problem.

Find the album on Spotify, iTunes, Soundcloud & YouTube. Simply search '67 The Glorious Twelfth'.

The whole albums should be available below.. Have a listen and then answer me poll quickly. I wanna see what people think of this genre. The more you listen to their lyrics, the more informed you become about 'gang life' in London. They tell no lies.

COOL PEOPLE; ELIJAH MUSIC

"My goal in life is to be creative - with absolutely no limits."

The past few weeks have been hectic. I've taken on a number of projects (some of which I will be blogging about) and uni has resumed for the year. I am well and truly up to my neck in work but I've still managed to meet with and get to know some intriguing characters...

The second person I have for you is someone I met in London a few weeks ago now. His name is Elijah and he's a proud north Londoner. He actually approached me in need of a lighter but we soon began exchanging life stories. Elijah (Eli for short) is a second year Fine Art student who aspires to one day live off money made from his art as well as is other passion - music. After meeting we exchanged numbers and plan to stay in touch.

Oh yeah.. he also raps and has dreams of making it in the music industry.. Click here to find Eli's soundcloud and stay tuned he will be uploading some of his new music this week! I've been in a studio session or two with him and boy do I have the utmost confidence in his ability to do well.

I decided to include Elijah in this because he is doing a lot creatively and is letting absolutely nothing and no one tell him otherwise. This is the attitude that everyone should have, whatever you want to do, however it may look to friends, peers & contemporaries.

Your free time is YOURS and though you may not have as much 'leisure time' as a student you still have some so make the most of it.

Age - 19

Full Name - Elijah Brown

A.K.A - Eli

Favourite Colour - Gold.

Favourite Drink - Hennessy & Coke, Pineapple Fanta

Inspiration - His family, especially his dad. Rich The Kid (Eli recommends watching Rich The Kid's semi-recent 'Noisey' documentary - 'Rich The Kid is Rich Forever' for an insight into the rapper and his main inspiration.

Background - Part Brazillian, Part British

Occupation/Hobbies- Student, Model, Rapper, Photopraghy

Dream Job - Rapper, Artist & Model

Location - London

Instagam- @ej.brxwn

Cool Person - #1

Hey, if you didn't read my last post on my upcoming blog series (I forgive you).. and here it is!

Although constant updates on celebs and their lives is entertaining, it really isn't as beneficial as ordinary people connecting with ordinary people. If you know me well then you know I use the term 'cool' broadly - in my world it means 'interesting'. It certainly isn't defined or measured by someone's online presence, although that could be a genuine reflection of someone's 'coolness', I guess? Anyhow, these posts should ideally feature people who:

- have interesting things going on in their lives (could be anything..)

- have had unique, intriuging and thought-provoking life experiences.

As I say, it's important to for ordinary people to connect so that ideas can be shared, relations can be built and prejudice/stereotypes - broken down. Prejudice can be defined as "a preconceived opinion that is not based on actual personal experiences." - learning about others leads to a less judgmental world! Hopefully these posts can inspire different people in multiple ways (fashion, ambitions, work, lifestyle).

The first cool person I'd like to introduce you all too is someone that I've now met on a couple of occasions - both times at fashion-related events and boy does she have style!

 Her name is Emily, she moved to London from Italy and she's determined to make it in the fashion industry as a 'streetwear influencer' (which is pretty self-explanatory), not saying "no" to any modelling opportunities on the way. She strikes a mean pose on her Instagram but in actual fact she is really soft spoken and has an cool Italian twang to her voice. She currently works in and studies fashion in London.

Age - 19

Full Name - Emily O'Donnell

A.K.A - Queen Skally

Favourite Colour - 'Plant Green'

Inspiration - I.D Magazine

Background - Part Italiana, Part Irish

Occupation- Student, Model
Dream Job - Streetwear Influencer

Location - London

Instagam - @emily.j.odonnell

A lot of people like the idea of getting into fashion but it can seem intimidating and opportunities sometimes look out of their reach, but there are loads of routes into the fashion world. Start looking at courses and the requirements of your local college, speak to a teacher or someone you know in the industry. Also.. Check out the ever popular 'Fashion Retail Academy(FRA)' -- who offer LOADS in the way of courses and fashion qualifications.

Thanks for reading  - look out for the next cool person!

COOL EVENTS; LFW - SS'17 (Street Style)

"London Fashion Week (LFW)is a clothing trade show held in London twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with the New York (NYFW), Milan (MFW) and Paris (PFW)." .. Gracias Wiki!

It is now Wednesday and London Fashion Week is well and truly over for the year.

Once again I got myself down to the vibrant centre of London, to connect with new people and take some cool shots in between. I leave LFW with a bag full of business cards, a bulkier personal portfolio, a slightly boosted online presence.. Oo and a big smile on my face!

Over the past few days I have also been brainstorming various ideas for a potential 'blogging series'.. I've trialed many before but haven't had that burning passion for any of them - the burning passion is the key to it's success, I feel. 

Anyway, I will be blogging more about that later. For now, here are some photos from the past 4 or 5 days.

Follow my Instagram for more of my snaps!

COOL PLACES; ZERO - The UK's Best Sushi Bar?

I must confess, I have an extremely addictive personality - once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. I mention this because over the last few months I've found myself lunching at the same place daily. The subject of my addiction on this occasion is the Japanese-inspired ZERO juice and sushi bar, found on Lower Kings Road in the heart of Berkhamsted.

It must have been back in November when my boss advised me to try the Chicken Katsu Curry for just £5 from 'the sushi bar close to the Waitrose entrance' and I loved it so much so that I'm blogging about it four months down the line.

They specialise in a Japanese-styled cuisine, serving up wholesome portions for veggies and non-veggies alike. All ingredients are natural and every meal is made in front of the buyer's eye. Have a look at the menu below. They also stock healthy vegan-friendly snacks which means no one's left out- from Kamikaze Wings to Sashimi, they've got it all. The sushi bar is open every day of the week from 9-5 and is super affordable.

The owner Louis Belson, a local lad, spends everyday on the frontline of his business tending the empty stomachs of the 'Berkhamsted massive'. Business has been booming for Louis, so much so,  that a second store was recently opened in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, with a third still in the pipeline. The third is set to become the first Restaraunt in the chain, diverting away from the current lunchtime focused theme.

Support your local business and get down to ZERO as soon as you can, you WON'T regret it. Here are some photos...

You can find ZERO online at www.zerosushi.co.uk, on Facebook by searching 'Zero' as well as on Twitter... @ZeroJuiceSushi.. Have a blessed day and stay tuned for more essential life updates/tips.

"iMoan" - iPhone Chargers!?!

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.

As in my first ever post, over a year ago now, I am coming to you with yet another 'iMoan'. I promise you, this won't be the last either. If you are also under the thumb of the world's most valuable brand, Apple, you will know all about the problems that surround owning one of their products.

You don't get to the heights Apple have reached without being smart and that is exactly what they are. From accessories to repairs, Apple have their innocent, tech-savvy market forking out near-enough the same amount they paid for their apple treasure yearly. The product that comes with the most problems is undoubtedly the iPhone, obviously, it is the highest grossing product of all time.

There is an endless list of problems that you should expect to encounter, during your time as an Apple slave, I mean customer.... Here are some of them; POOR battery life (typically after about 6 months usage), over-heating, signal failure, cracked screens, cracked hardware, button failures, microphone issues and many more. If do experience any faults, you'll know doubt be advised to get it repaired by either Apple or a 3rd party, Apple repairs costs are exceedingly high and if you dare go to the cheaper option, Apple will disown you, as they know everything, down to your every move (no exaggeration, check my first post).

The issue that we are ALL familiar is the dreaded cracked screen, whether you own an iPhone or not, you would have felt this pain, either personally or you've felt the pain of a close friend/family member. From day 1, when you first touch your brand new iPhone, amazed by it's simplicity, the fear of dropping your phone will kick in almost instantly. I am sure it's all a scam and my view hasn't really changed much but I'm not really going to push that to you guys, I'm just saying BE CAREFUL.


 A colleague, the owner of an iPhone 5S.. She's had her phone since January 2014 (1 year and 2 months) and it is MINT condition. I know, how the hell.. So unfair.. Here's a picture to rub it in..

She's obviously really careful with her phone, charging it only when it's below 50% and hardly ever dropping it, taking all this into account.. She's still dropped it numerous times, after all she is human and so are we all. We drop things. This admittance prompted me to ask the question, 'How is your phone so prestine?!'. She then told me, it's ALL in the case. She bought a shatter proof case that has well and truly lived up to it's name. So my first piece of advice is.. 1) Buy a shatter proof case.

This post however, is not going to be focusing on cracked screens (we're all fully aware of the possibility of cracking it). I am going to be drawing the issue of iPhones Chargers to your attention. With every new iPhone you can expect a new, unexpected, problem. You might realise that the iPhone wires since the 5s have become quite stiff, this is due to a tougher metal being used inside the wire. Don't ask me why, I'll just day it's all a scam. 

Unfortunately Apple's Lightning cables do tend to fray and weaken at the point where the port meets the cable. It seems that the cable just gets twisted here, and over time the plastic coating wears out. This brings me on to my second piece of advice.. 2) Gaffa that - use either isolation or gaffa tape to support the cable, helping it to stay straight.

If it's starting to weaken and wear away then a similar pre-emptive measure may help to ensure that it lasts a bit longer before giving way. But if you've got to the point where the cable stops working, more drastic measures may be required. 

The introduction of this 'upgraded' wire is coupled with Apple's new and improved software that can detect any charger/accessory that isn't an original Apple product. The world's most valuable brand has now altered the inside of it's products, this change means that the use of a Non-Apple product will actually cause harm to your phone, this is a sly yet in-your-face tactic that Apple have used to completely kill off companies such as Mophie, who invented the 2-in-1 case and charger, specialising firstly, in iPhones.

The main way to prevent this happening is by pulling the charger out by it's plastic port at all times and NOT by the wire itself. This should prevent any future malfunctions and should save you £15-25 every few months..


Here are 2 tips on how to treat this delicate piece of equipment, this should add a few more months, maybe even a year to your cable's life expectancy.

1 - Never pull it by the wire.

2 - Always pull it from both plastic ports, even if you are only using the USB.

3 - For your own good, don't bother using a third party charger as this will be detrimental to your phone's performance.



Gone are the days of phone's that could withstand falls from airplanes. You have to realise what you have in your pocket.. £600! You have to treat it like £600 and not like a Nokia 3310.

I must add before I leave you, that I am totally addicted to iPhones, I love everything about them and I know that a lot of you feel the same way, credit to Apple. It is for this reason and this reason alone that I am warning y'all to look after your precious mobile telephone device. The money Apple gets from it's sales clearly isn't enough, they definitely do want to take advantage of your blind love for this product, so open your eyes a little wider.


Stay tuned and stay blessed.

COOL DEBATES; 'SCIENCE HELP US' - Why Are We Racist?

Good day beautiful people! I hope you've already done your good deed for the day, whether it was helping your mum with the shopping or letting the pregnant woman behind you with two shopping bags onto the bus first.

Recently, I have spoken to many people, family, friends and professionals, about the seemingly eternal problem that is racism. Racism isn't a new phenomenon, and we've most probably all been on the receiving end of it, whether it was 'light-hearted' and 'jovial' or outright, in-your-face, r a c i s m, we've all experienced it. But the question is, why? Why are we still racist, why does it still exist? What is the 'science' behind racism?

If you've viewed my last post, you would have seen that I was talking about our life's number one enemy, fear. Fear is the main thing that stops us from doing the things we want to in life. As people, naturally, one of our favourite things to do is meeting new people, not only is this one of our favourite things to do, but it is also essential for the growth of every human being, no exaggeration. If we all spoke to each other, the knowledge we would gain would make humans, as a collective, one of the most powerful forces in the universe. But anyway, back to fear. How is fear related to racism?

About two nights ago now, I found myself knee deep in a debate on LBC (Leading Britain's Conversation, formally London's Biggest Conversation) 97.3 FM. It was around 2am and I was listening to Cristo Foufas' show, which is AMAZING. Cristo, an exuberant man of the Greek variety from St. Albans, loves to touch on all the topics that a lot of radio presenters are scared to talk about. He began by talking about UKIP and a news story that had broke, where a member of the party, Rozanne Duncan, was videoed saying that she "didn't know why, but she doesn't like negroes or people with negroid features", she then followed this by saying.. "I am in NO WAY racist", when I heard this it had me thinking.... 'what? How can that not be racist?!'...

The fab Cristo then opened up the show for listeners to call in, which they did, in their 100s. The majority agreeing with Cristo in saying that the woman was racist and her comments were derogatory. The mood of the conversation started to alter after a few people (from African backgrounds) phoned in, claiming that categorically, the entire white race is racist for one reason or another, a very racist statement, in itself, the issue was getting nowhere. This massive generalisation was picked up on by the LBC presenter, who said "hold on, we can't be making such huge generalisations.. It makes you just as bad".

After a few more opinionated callers, up stepped 'Anthony', a caller from Greater London, who votes for UKIP. Anthony came on, and some would say, bravely, defended Ms. Duncan's comments, claiming that he too was not racist but also had a problem with some Africans. This instantly alarmed me as I could hear the honesty in what he was saying, I could hear that he was genuinely distressed by his opinions and did believe that he was not racist. He specified, he stated that he was friends with plenty of Africans.. But mainly eastern and southern as he had a problem with the way Western Africans and Caribbeans looked. Cristo then stopped Anthony with a sentence, 'So.. you are basically saying that you don't like the black people that look more black?', to which Anthony replied, 'Yes. But I am NOT racist'. As you can imagine, given this day and age, Anthony was promptly laughed off the air as a racist.

I thought that something was wrong here, something fundamental had been missed and in order to get to the root of this serious problem, an element of understanding has to be applied to the situation. At 3am, eyes half shut, I tweeted Cristo, saying 'I don't think you should be so quick to call Anthony racist' and said that it seemed like he was being very honest and true to his feelings and when that is the case, you must first try and understand someone.

Cristo replied to me asking me to message him privately, where he asked for my number and said that the show would like to have me on, if I didn't mind. I accepted the offer and no sooner than 5 minutes later I received a call from the station. I spoke to the producer of the show briefly about my views and the girl I spoke to seemed to agree with, saying that Anthony seemed 'scared' more than anything.

I said 'exactly..'

Cristo then had me on the show and we spoke for a good 10 minutes on the subject. I explained what I believed the main problem was surrounding racism. I said that Anthony seemed like an honest, good person and pointed out that he wouldn't say he was friends with Africans (eastern and southern), if it wasn't true. This made it clear to me that the problem wasn't the fact that someone was a different colour, it seemed to be more about the features.. 'Why are their noses so much bigger?? Why are their lips bigger? How comes they are stronger?

Naturally, when we don't know why someone looks a certain way or why someone acts differently, you develop a natural fear towards that person. This only means that when something goes wrong, the people that you're unsure of will get the blame and as a result feel the wrath of the vexed individual. This natural fear can be seen as a wall that you put up to people, and it can only be knocked down by talking to people and learning about different people.

If you don't take the time to understand and appreciate the people around you, you are susceptible to having your mind polluted by the current social ideals we have in place.

People who are able to come out and say they don't like someone and they can't explain why, need to be helped and educated. This is clearly a cry for help as they wouldn't say a word if they were happy being labelled as a 'racist'.

The end to racism is only ever around the corner, and will come, it will come once we make social and cultural studies and integral part of the education system. When multi-cultural societies were created, basic essentials were forgotten, you cannot possibly think that throwing a bunch of people together from all the different corners of the Earth into the same place, without firstly educating people as to why we are so wonderfully different, is right. It is always bound to go wrong in some instances.

If you have a friend who seems to have a problem with people who look differently, they may not be a KKK subscriber/Nazi, talk to them, ask them why? What is it that you don't understand about the person and see if some simple explaining helps the situation.

When we call someone racist, it does absolutely nothing to help the situation and the person, it only keeps them in the same place mentally.

Taking offense to these behaviours means that you are turning it into a personal attack, the issue is well and truly global. Don't be selfish, we all do wrong, try your hardest to act with love and first understand where your opposite number is coming from, that way you can sympathise and educate them on what is right and what is truly wrong.

I hope everyone had a blessed weekend and is enjoying 2015 as much as I am. Stay blessed!

FVCE YOUR FEVRS.

"There comes a time in everyone's life where anger supersedes fear, and that's when as a person, you rise or fall"

In short, one day you'll become so pissed off with the things that hold you back that you will either tackle them and rise, or let them continuously tackle you, causing you to fall.  

Life is a journey, good or bad, it's a journey. One thing is for sure though.. and that is that life is also a blessing and NEVER a curse. So, surely that means that we should live a life free of troubles?.. This naturally brings the question, 'why is life so hard?'.

Over the past few years, I've gotten to really know and love people. I've also asked myself MANY questions and found many answers. Now, I don't know if these all of these answers are spot on, but I'm pretty sure of what I'm about to tell you guys.

'FEAR' is your life's biggest enemy.. But what does this mean.. you shouldn't watch horror films?

No.

Society has done extremely well to strip us of  our natural title as 'leaders' and 'rulers'. People have been reduced to nothing but servants, slaves and not of the Earth (which would be acceptable), but of other men. The constant fear of doing something wrong, keeps us in the position that we are in now, but I'm not saying anything new.

Watch this video..

Some of you may be thinking, 'okay... so the elephant is an absolute wimp.' But hold up, aren't we the dominant species on this Earth, aren't we top of the food chain, is this not OUR world? Why do animals attack us.. WHEN WE SHOW FEAR.

Fear also stops us in other aspects of our lives. 

So, I'm here to tell you; if you have any fears (don't take the word to literally) or insecurities that are stopping you from doing something try your hardest to break that mindset, in short, tackle that 'fear' head on and see how quickly it runs from you, making whatever you were scared of seem a lot more achievable.

I've personally always wanted to become a presenter of some sort from an early age, and throughout my short life people have said 'weird' things to me. I say weird, but really I just mean Christians amongst others, but mainly Christians, have told me that I will one day be a 'pastor' and a 'voice for my generation'. And it didn't really hit home until the past year when I realised that my dream, to become a presenter, could very easily be seen as a 'pastor' for the people, a voice for the generation.
Don't worry, I'm not just using this as an opportunity to waffle about myself, there's more..

I left university in February of last, and told myself that it wasn't for me and that you don't need a degree to be successful (which is still very true, if you are motivated enough to pursure something off of your own back). I started looking for other routes and others paths and this only came with massive pressures as I was trying to force a life path for myself that maybe just wasn't mean to be. Over the past year or so, I have spent notable time tackling my fears and found that my biggest, was that of rejection. Rejection from top universities, rejection from friends, all this led me to stay at square one. Once I faced up to these fears I was able to talk to people about the possibility of heading back to uni and pursuing my dream job. My silly fears almost stopped me from achieving what I wanted in life. Your fears only make you settle for less, so realise them and tackle them ASAP. 

Realise that there are good and bad forces in this world, and bad wants to see the destruction of everything good. The Earth is good, and bad wants to see the destruction of it and it's people (who are ALL start off good). 

 It is sadly a relentless attempt by bad to ruin us all, mentally and physically. And bad only can attack us in two ways, through fear and deception. Don't worry too much about deception, that's just when you're head plays tricks on you and you start thinking negatively about situations, attracting a negative situation, I'll talk about that more in the future.

If there's one simple lesson to take away from this post it is that positive action counters fear and positive thinking counters deception.

Stay tuned and stay blessed!

COOL DEALS; WHERE THE HECK DID YOU FIND THAT??

Cool, so I'm back as promised, with some AWESOME new deals. As you all know, I am addicted to buying clothes, especially cheap ones, I am a bargain hunter. If I see a good deal, I'm there. and if I don't have the money at the time, I will borrow it, and then I'm there. Good deals do not wait for anyone. Just like in anything you do in life, you must be an opportunist.

I've mainly sourced my clothing from charity stores, must notably, Iain Rennie, BHF and Cancer Research. Some of the items I am about to show you were also found in sample sales that I have recently attended (search google for 'local sample sales') where I was able to pick up some really nice things for under £2.

Some of the items I will be showing are for sale now too, so if you're lucky enough to have me on a social network, contact me via one of them, for more information. Notepads ready?.. Let's go. 

 

This simple ASOS Black Bucket Hat was picked up at a sample sale for 25p.

You can't go wrong with the classic, Nike swoosh design. Copped this at the Islington Car Boot Sale for £2.

Now for some bottoms.. These high-rise Levi's 505's, have quickly become my life. Slightly different from the original 501's, these beauties cost me £10 (50%) from Beyond Retro, Dalston. Get yourself down to your closest BR if you're looking for a solid pair of jeans.

For those who don't know, Carhartt, is my favourite brand. I actually got these Carhartt Sid Chinos, from EBAY for a £10. Have a look yourself, these babies retail at 85.00GBP!

Now for some of my hot finds in sportswear..

This 80s LA Sharks Ice Hockey jersey was bought aaaages ago now, I couldn't resist it at the time and still absolutely love it. One of the best things I've ever picked up for £1. 

We all know how sort after Adidas Firebird Tracksuits are.. Retailing at a mean £50. I felt like the heavens were smiling on me when I found this on an Algerian man's rack at the wonderful Dalston Car Boot Sale. He charged me £4! 

Again, another blessing. This was sourced a lot closer to home than my previous buys. I picked this Adidas Original Brasil World Cup edition shirt from my local favourite, Iain Rennie Hospice for £4.50. Again, that's almost 90% I saved myself on the retail price. This hobby takes a lot of patience, don't guy buying anything or crying because you didn't find something mind-blowingly cheap, that just defeats the whole object of bargain hunting.

D'you know a stylist? Luckily I know a few! They're fab because they're always looking to offload spare clothes. I actually picked up the next three items you're about to see, for free!

From my lovely friend Grace. That's a link to this cool chick's instagram.. Take a look at what she's about!

 

FOR SALE - Add me on Facebook (Zachary Ekpe) or contact me on a social network (@ZachEkpe).

 Alternatively, you can email me at zacharyekpe@gmail.com or text me, if you're lucky enough to have my number.

This bad boy bomber is also for sale, again, hit me up.

Now for some slightly more upmarket finds..

To keep myself out of the trap of becoming

This FCUK top, as seen in my 'profile pics' all over the web, cost me £2, from an ASOS sample sale, just outside London. This shirt is loud and screams 60s!!! So I'll have to be in a certain mood or going to a certain event to wear this one.

To add to the classy buys I nabbed myself this ZARA jumper for men. This probably retailed at around £25-50 and I got it from Age UK, in Hemel Hempstead's town centre for £4.

And finally, to ensure that I can look smart with regardless of the bottoms I choose. I had to get this, a lovely North Face fleece that was only £6, from Cancer Research. 

This was bought by a friend of mine, for me, as he knew it'd be right down my street, thank you Ross!

 

  ..

I trust that the items you have seen have given you all hope, but, I'm not done yet! I still have the shoes to show y'all.

First up, we have these beauts. These are classic Timberland walking boots, they are around 20-30 years old now, but knowing Timberland and they're high quality/prices, these would retail nowadays at somewhere near £80. You want to know how much I paid? £2, from Dalston Car Boot Sale. The lady really wanted to shift her ex-husband's old walking boots and as it was the end of the boot day, she was looking to get ANYTHING for them. I almost felt bad buying these. Admittedly, these needed abit of mending as the inner soles had holes in them! Not anymore though, I put some Supra insoles in them, making them clouds for my feet to rest in.

The Reebok Classic Workouts were also bought at the car boot sale in Dalston and they set me back £4, which again, is a really good price. Especially considering the condition the shoes are in and the way in which they've kept their value over the last decade.

 

So guys, this is the end. I've got many more items to show you in the near future, I just hope that this is evidence enough that good deals are accessible to all of us. The proof is in the post. Go out there and search for local sample and car boot sales. And pop into the odd charity shop, you'll DEFINITELY find something. If you're weirdly embarrassed by charity shopping, glance into them at the very least, when you walk past, something may catch your eye.

Remember, some of these items are for sale so please do not shy away from getting in touch with me.

Have a great day, stay tuned and stay blessed!