Two mixtapes are released by two of the most influential rappers/producers around. Stars align.

D O W N L O A D

SELF MADE
PRAY FOR FORGIVENESS

Because good throw-ups and tags still make us smile.

While I process the 7 zillions images I took at paris FW, Here are some extra images I had made at Boris Bijan Saberi’s performance in Berlin. As you will notice, they were shot on film, hence the delay in their publishing. I quite like forgetting rolld in my bag and re–discovering images later. It reminds me of a trauma I had as a kid, actually (not a too bad one, but one nonetheless): my father had found that I had got enough presents for Xmas, so he decided that some of them would not be given right away but later that year. Probably thinking that I would be really happy to get them then. When I finally got them back, later that year, not even, was all the excitement gone, but I discovered that the presents were really boring ones.

Mike Tyson’s abandoned Ohio mansion is not only one of the finest examples or early-American hyper-pimp, but it’s hard to find someone with 1) such exquisite taste and 2) with enough money to make such a masterpiece happen.

The property, a total of 60 acres, it has been sitting abandoned in this desolate area for years. Tyson’s former home is a considerable 20,000 sq. feet with 15 bedrooms. Indoor pool, lavish bathrooms, big chef’s kitchen, 6+ car garages, large entertainment room. As you can see, it’s very well appointed with zebra stripe carpet, gold plating and boasts a large facility for lions that Tyson used to keep as pets.

According to my vague cyber-research, the deserted property was purchased in 1999 by Paul Monea (in blue, who made much of his fortune from selling Billy Blanks’ “Taebo tapes”) for $1.3 million dollars and was seized shortly after by feds investigating him for money laundering issues.

If my sources are right, in January 2010, the mansion was then purchased by Ron Hemelgarn (in black, owner of the “Indy Racing League”) for only $600,000.

During the 10 years that separated the two owners, hundreds (thousands?) of curious, fans and fetishists penetrated the property and carefully documented the rotting and vandalizing processes. An amazing amount of images can still be found on the web, with detailed indications on how to access the house. (3737 State Route 534, Southington, Ohio)

Finally, what is “Iron” Mike Tyson up to these days?
He has a Twitter account and a few Facebook pages that he updates on a near daily basis. He was just recently included on ballot for class of 2011 Boxing Hall of Fame. And life goes on.

something for your birthday
publisher: PATRICK FREY