080808

Last night was my first official Party All Night experience in Moscow and it was marvelous. When I said earlier that sneaker culture was an endangered species in Moscow, that was the voice of naivete. Solyanka prides itself as the best Hip Hop Soul Funk club in Moscow, and last night was Yum Yum Thursday with special guest A'La Fu of the legendary Big Dada record label in Scotland. Whatever. It was fantastic. I got to meet the man of the evening DJ Pasha Fookin' who played mashups for his entire three hours late late night slot. They probably couldn't compare to the famous Hood Internet, but it was a much needed change of pace from the shlocky techno of other places, played by some guy who looks like Herbie who waves his fingers in the air to the music like a gay guy picking out muffins at Bread & Co. The crowd last night was the reason we couldn't leave last night. It was all art students, creatives, and generally Cobra Snakesque young folks who booooogied all night long. When in Rome...

At the end of the evening, Pasha invited me to 080808 exhibition at Vinzavod which is Moscow's Contemporary Art Center. I actually ventured down there earlier this week and it was pretty interesting only if you like exhibits highlighting the art of 19th Century French Nude Models. So I wasn't too excited until he mentioned Air Max. 

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After seven good hours of sleep, Max and I made our way to Vinzavod. We met Pasha and two girls, ate something, and then sought out 080808.  I got the surprise of my life. Sneakers aren't invisible in Moscow during the daytime after all. The exhibition highlighed the 1980 Moscow Olympic games and 80's street culture with exclusive Nike Air Max's and other Nike "1980" merchandise on display. Two giant screens rolled straight footage from Grand Theft Auto. The DJ rolled UK grime and dubstep like Dizzee Rascal and The Streets. It was pretty surreal, since it was nothing like the Russia I knew until about twelve hours earlier. I had been waiting for a Saturday like this.

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Andre 3000 has Ten Essentials

Here's one

John Legend and Andre 3000-Green Light (MSTRKRFT remix)