Wet Seal, the Wu, and 12 Farnsworth

Wet Seal & The Wu:

So, tonite I am minding my own business, enjoying the Christmas lights in the common, and then in Downtown Crossing here in Boston, and I walk past the women's/girl's clothing store Wet Seal. And what do I see on one of the mannequins? A Wu-Tang Clan tee shirt. A Wu-Tang Clan tee shirt?

Now, those of you that know me well might think that the scene then turned into an Andrew McCarthy/Kim Cattrall interlude circa '87 and I went in there, snatched the mannequin and we are married happily ever after now. But no, my emotional response went the other way. Who the hell authorized the selling of Wu Wear at Wet Seal? Was this the RZA, AKA Bobby Digital? What would Old Dirty say if he were here right now (besides "Shimmy Shimmy Ya?"). Is this how the older generation felt when kids in the nineties started wearing bell bottoms, listening to the Doors, and dressing like Oasis... I mean, the Beatles? It is terrible, this appropriation of my youth. Where are the days of the Wu-Tang Clan selling singles of "Protect Ya Neck" from the trunk of their car circa '93? Above, see the pic from the Wet Seal website.

Farnsworth:

So, I dropped a piece off today for the group show at 12 Farnsworth. Then I got a call that they wanted to include Pink Angels as well... so looks like I will have two large pieces in the show. More information to come on the opening, etc.

And yes, today was the first day that I realized that the road this gallery is on shares a name with P-Diddy's butler, the infamous Farnsworth Bentley. Pic above is from http://hate.blogetery.com/

For more on Farnsworth Bentley I recommend the Chappelle show, namely the sketch on making the band.

And Back to Wet Seal and the Wu:

Basically, the GZA summed it up best in "Protect Ya Neck," lyrics courtesy of http://www.sing365.com/

The Wu is too slammin for these Cold Killin labels

Some ain't had hits since I seen Aunt Mabel

Be doin artists in like Cain did Abel

Now they money's gettin stuck to the gum under the table

That's what ya get when ya misuse what I invent

Your empire falls and ya lose every cent

For tryin to blow up a scrub

Now that thought was just as bright as a 20-watt light bulb

Should of pumped it when I rocked it

Niggaz so stingy they got short arms and deep pockets

This goes on in some companies

With majors they're scared to death to pump these

First of all, who's your A&R

A mountain climber who plays an electric guitar?

But he don't know the meaning of dope

When he's lookin for a suit and tie rap

that's cleaner than a bar of soap

And I'm the dirtiest thing in sight

Matter of fact bring out the girls and let's have a mud fight

Below, see the video for Protect Ya Neck. Do these men from Staten Island really look like they are peddling ladies' fashions? Then again, if you must wear the Wu-Tang ladies, please check out the video for Ice Cream (from the revolutionary "Only Built for Cuban Links" album by Raekwon)... now that is when the Clan was really pushing the Wu-Wear.

I miss hip-hop.

As For Art:

I am not sure what all of this has to do with art or my studio, besides the Farnsworth bentley Gallery. But my next poem might be titled "Amends Letters to Unique Ason."

Yours truly,

Dirt McGirt