Phife Dawg passes away at 45 years old

dam... id like to express my shock and condolences at the passing of Phife of A Tribe Called Quest. such a groundbreaking group, these dudes were part of the definition of the sound of an era. thats no small feat. hip hop is feeling the absence of a vital part of its legacy. and we can all feel it.

this is what we experienced and what i tell my son all the time, 'we came up in an era where being EXCELLENT was celebrated. being original, actually being the inventor of a new idea or concept. Phife was part of that era. he helped define it. and he died from the same illness that took my mother. RIP...

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RIP to the original LEE, LEE 163d, NY graffiti legend

today i was saddened to hear about the passing of one of the easily most unsung bombing legend from NYC, the incomparable LEE163d, from the Bronx, NY. with all due respect to LEE, the one from Wild Style, THIS is the guy that set off the franchise.

a contemporary of the legendary PHASE 2, LEE163d was a writer from the early 70s, sometime after 1971 and was said by many to have tore the city up on the streets as well as the trains. me personally, i loved the way he wrote his name with style that was all his own. its impossible to confuse his tag with any other. for me, style is when u can see something, going by at 40mph and STILL be able to know exactly what u just saw. tell me u cant do that with his style.

Nuff respect to the pioneers, wherever they come from. Nuff respect to a legend that doesnt get his just due.

Here we see LEE163d with his man, the legendary PHASE 2, somewhere in NYC. date unknown, early 70s most likely. also pictured, BARBARA 62, a female graff legend from NYC.

LEE 163d on the front of the train, alongside one of the first graff writers in NY, JUNIOR 161. also appearing in the photo is TOP CAT 126, a Philly native that moved to NY, rocking the Broadway Elegant style that he brought with him to NY from Philly. You can see how different his style of writing is next to everything else.

I was very suprised when i found this picture online. a LEE 163d with a TC126, for TOP CAT 126. Two very legendary and influential graffiti writers, at the same time in one place.

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16 Conspiracy Theories That Turned Out To Be True

Are you a conspiracy theorist? If not, perhaps you should be. Yes, there have certainly been a
 lot of “conspiracy theories” over the years that have turned out not to
 be accurate. However, the truth is that a large number of very
prominent conspiracy theories have turned out to actually be true.

So the next time that you run into some “tin foil hat wearing lunatics”,
 you might want to actually listen to what they have to say.

They may actually know some things that you do not.


In fact, one recent study found that “conspiracy theorists” are actually
 more sane than the general population. So the next time you are tempted
 to dismiss someone as a “conspiracy theorist”, just remember that the
one that is crazy might actually be you.

The following are 16 popular conspiracy theories that turned out to be
true…

1. “They Put Cancer Viruses Into Our Vaccines”
When I first heard about this I did not believe it. And of course not
all vaccines contain cancer viruses. But tens of millions of Americans
did receive vaccines with cancer viruses in them, and now we have
learned that even the CDC has admitted that this is true…

The CDC has quickly removed a page from their website, which is now
cached here, admitting that more than 98 million Americans received one
or more doses of polio vaccine within an 8-year span when a proportion
of the vaccine was contaminated with a cancer causing polyomavirus
called SV40. It has been estimated that 10-30 million Americans could
have received an SV40 contaminated dose of the vaccine.

SV40 is an abbreviation for Simian vacuolating virus 40 or Simian virus
40, a polyomavirus that is found in both monkeys and humans. Like other
polyomaviruses, SV40 is a DNA virus that has been found to cause tumors
and cancer.

2. “ATM Machines Will Someday Use Facial Recognition Technology”
According to the Daily Mail, a new generation of ATM machines is being
developed that will use cutting edge facial recognition technology…

Cumbersome and slow cash machines with clunky buttons and tiny
hard-to-see screens could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a range
of next-generation ATMs.

Ohio-based security firm Diebold has created a touchscreen cash machine
that works like a tablet computer, uses facial recognition and QR codes
to identify and authenticate users, and has built-in safety cameras.

3. “The U.S. Government And Monsanto Are Teaming Up Against Opponents Of
 Genetically-Modified Food”
The establishment does not like those that are trying to stand in the
way of genetically-modified food. The following is from a recent
Activist Post article…

A shocking new investigative report from the largest daily newspaper in
Germany alleges that Monsanto, the US Military and the US government
have colluded to track and disrupt both anti-GMO activists and
independent scientists who study the adverse effects of genetically
modified food.

As revealed yesterday by Sustainable Pulse, on July 13th the German
newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung detailed information on how the US
Government “advances the interests of their corporations,” focusing on
Monsanto as a prime example.

The report titled, “The Sinister Monsanto Group: ‘Agent Orange’ to
Genetically Modified Corn,” described a ‘new fangled cyber war’ being
waged against both eco-activists and independent scientists by
supporters and former employees of Monsanto, who are described as
“operationally powerful assistants” and who have taken up sometimes
high-ranking posts in the US administration, regulatory authorities, and
 some of whom have connections deep within the military industrial
establishment, including the CIA.

4. “Someday Scientists Will Be Using Millions Of Genetically-Modified
Animals In Scientific Experiments”
Did you know that literally millions of genetically-modified animals are
 being experimented on in labs all over the globe?…

The number of genetically modified (GM) animals used in scientific
research in Britain has exceeded the number of ordinary laboratory
animals for the first time, according to official statistics that show a
 9 per cent overall increase in the use of experimental animals last
year.

Some 4,033,310 animals were used in scientific experiments started in
2012, an increase of 322,689, or 9 per cent over the previous year.
There were 1.91 million scientific “procedures” used with GM animals in
2012 compared to 1.68.m procedures on normal animals.

5. “Scientists All Over The World Are Creating Extremely Bizarre
Human-Animal Hybrids”
Should scientists be creating beings that are part human and part
animal? Well, it is happening all over the planet. Just check out some
of the things that a recent Slate article says is happening in labs
around the world…

Not long ago, Chinese scientists embedded genes for human milk proteins
into a mouse’s genome and have since created herds of
humanized-milk-producing goats. Meanwhile, researchers at the University
 of Michigan have a method for putting a human anal sphincter into a
mouse as a means of finding better treatments for fecal incontinence,
and doctors are building animals with humanized immune systems to serve
as subjects for new HIV vaccines.
Pretty disgusting eh?

And here are some other ways that scientists are combining humans and
animals…
-Rabbit Eggs with Human Cells
-Pigs with Human Blood
-Sheep with Human Livers
-Cow Eggs with Human Cells
-Cat-Human Hybrid Proteins

For much more on this, please see my previous article entitled
“Human-Animal Hybrids: Sick And Twisted Chimeras Are Being Created In
Labs All Over The Planet“.

6. “Obama Is Making Government Employees Spy On One Another”
Yes, this is actually happening. In a previous article, I described how
Obama is forcing government workers to spy on the “lifestyles, attitudes
 and behaviors” of their fellow employees…

Federal employees and contractors are asked to pay particular attention
to the lifestyles, attitudes and behaviors – like financial troubles,
odd working hours or unexplained travel – of co-workers as a way to
predict whether they might do “harm to the United States.” Managers of
special insider threat offices will have “regular, timely, and, if
possible, electronic, access” to employees’ personnel, payroll,
disciplinary and “personal contact” files, as well as records of their
use of classified and unclassified computer networks, polygraph results,
 travel reports and financial disclosure forms.

7. “Pro Wrestling Is Fake”
We have all kind of known this for a long time, right? Well, now someone
 is actually leaking the results of pro wrestling matches on the
Internet before they happen…

A fan has provoked a furor in the world of professional wrestling after
leaking the outcomes of 38 WWE matches ahead of the pay-per-view bouts.

The mystery fan, who identifies himself online as Dolphins1925, claims
he has obtained the information from a source at Worldwide Wrestling
Entertainment (WWE), and is revealing the results to highlight the
organisation’s failure to keep its storylines confidential.

Dolphins1925 started posting the results on Reddit’s pro-wrestling forum
 after another fan launched a “prediction series”, asking users for
their picks ahead of the matches. He has since maintained a perfect
record, even leaking the results of contests involving wrestling
superstars such as John Cena and The Undertaker.

8. “Someday Texas Is Going To Run Out Of Water”
Texas will always have plenty of water, right? Wrong.

According to CNBC, the water crisis in some areas of Texas is rapidly
reaching a breaking point…

Three straight years of blistering drought have strained Texas’ water
resources. Some cities like Midland are already steeply raising their
water prices. But it’s not just residents of the Lone Star State feeling
 parched. Texas-based companies are scrambling to reduce their water
usage and enact long-term water management plans as a critical business
concern.

“As the drought continues, industry’s eyes are opening,” said Jordan
Furnans, senior engineer at INTERA, a Texas-based geosciences and
engineering firm. Those eyes are opening to discover that more dry years
 are coming, he said.

There’s a desperate need for water to fuel industrial, chemical and
energy operations in some parts of Texas. “If plants shut down, they’re
losing millions of dollars per day,” Furnans said.

9. “The IRS Is Specifically Targeting Conservatives”
Only a small percentage of Americans would have believed this particular
 “conspiracy theory” last year.

But now it is all over the news. In fact, we have just learned that
applications for tax-exempt status from Tea Party groups were ordered to
 be sent to the only Obama political appointee at the IRS…

IRS employees were ordered by their superiors–including Lois Lerner who
pleaded the 5th Amendment against self-incrimination rather than testify
 in Congress–to send certain Tea Party tax-exemption applications to the
 office of the IRS’s Chief Counsel, which was headed by William Wilkins,
 who at that time was the only Obama political appointee at the IRS,
according to a letter released today by the House Committee on Oversight
 and Government Reform.

“As a part of this ongoing investigation, the Committees have learned
that the IRS Chief Counsel’s office in Washington, D.C. has been closely
 involved in some of the applications,” reads a letter released today by
 the House committees on Oversight and Government and Ways and Means.
“Its involvement and demands for information about political activity
during the 2010 election cycle appear to have caused systematic delays
in the processing of Tea Party applications.”

10. “Fluoride Is Harmful For Your Teeth”
This is a conspiracy theory that was denied for a very long time. But
now even CNN is admitting the truth…
The Department of Health and Human Services and Environmental Protection
 Agency are proposing the change because of an increase in fluorosis — a
 condition that causes spotting and streaking on children’s teeth.

11. “Using A Cell Phone Can Cause Cancer”
Can you get cancer from using a cell phone? Well, an increasing number
of studies indicate that this is actually true…

At the highest exposure levels — using a mobile phone half an hour a day
 over a 10-year period — the study found a 40 percent increased risk of
glioma brain tumors.

12. “Prescription Drugs Kill Large Numbers Of Americans”
Every single year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are killed by
prescription drugs. The following is a brief excerpt from a Vanity Fair
article entitled “Deadly Medicine“…

Prescription drugs kill some 200,000 Americans every year. Will that
number go up, now that most clinical trials are conducted overseas—on
sick Russians, homeless Poles, and slum-dwelling Chinese—in places where
 regulation is virtually nonexistent, the F.D.A. doesn’t reach, and
“mistakes” can end up in pauper’s graves?

13. “The Elite Want To Dramatically Reduce The Global Population”
Yes, many among the global elite really do want to substantially reduce
the population of the planet. The following quotes are from one of my
previous articles…

-David Rockefeller: “The negative impact of population growth on all of
our planetary ecosystems is becoming appallingly evident.”
-CNN Founder Ted Turner: “A total world population of 250-300 million
people, a 95% decline from present levels, would be ideal.”
-Paul Ehrlich, a former science adviser to president George W. Bush and
the author of “The Population Bomb”: “To our minds, the fundamental
cure, reducing the scale of the human enterprise (including the size of
the population) to keep its aggregate consumption within the carrying
capacity of Earth is obvious but too much neglected or denied”
-Barack Obama’s primary science adviser, John P. Holdren: “The
development of a long-term sterilizing capsule that could be implanted
under the skin and removed when pregnancy is desired opens additional
possibilities for coercive fertility control. The capsule could be
implanted at puberty and might be removable, with official permission,
for a limited number of births.”
-HBO personality Bill Maher: “I’m pro-choice, I’m for assisted suicide,
I’m for regular suicide, I’m for whatever gets the freeway moving –
that’s what I’m for. It’s too crowded, the planet is too crowded and we
need to promote death.”

14. “Innocent People Are Murdered, Skinned And Dismembered During
Satanic Rituals”
Satanists really do exist, and sometimes they do really, really awful
things. The following is one recent example…

Moises Meraz-Espinoza walked into the Huntington Park Police Department
two years ago to report a crime: He had killed his mother.

Officers went to the Maywood apartment that the then-18-year-old factory
 worker shared with his mother, Amelia Espinoza, 42, and found a
gruesome scene. A trail of blood led to the bathroom, where plastic
covered the walls and floor. There, they found an electrical circular
saw with pieces of bone, blood and flesh stuck to the blade. Nearby, in a
 freezer, police found skin and muscles stored in plastic bags. The
woman’s skull, with all her teeth plucked out, her eyes removed and two
upside-down crosses carved into the bone, was stashed in a backpack.

Prosecutors say that Meraz-Espinoza strangled his mother and then
skinned, filleted and dismembered her body as part of a satanic ritual.

15. “The NSA Is Spying On Our Phone Calls, Internet Searches And
Financial Transactions”
Thanks to Edward Snowden, we have learned much more about how the NSA
spies on all of us. And just this week it has come out that the NSA has
no problem snooping on you if you are a friend of a friend of a friend
of someone that might be a potential terrorist…

Chris Inglis, the agency’s deputy director, was one of several
government representatives—including from the FBI and the office of the
Director of National Intelligence—testifying before the House Judiciary
Committee this morning. Most of the testimony largely echoed previous
testimony by the agencies on the topic of the government’s surveillance,
 including a retread of the same offered examples for how the Patriot
Act and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act had stopped terror events.

But Inglis’ statement was new. Analysts look “two or three hops” from
terror suspects when evaluating terror activity, Inglis revealed.
Previously, the limit of how surveillance was extended had been
described as two hops. This meant that if the NSA were following a phone
 metadata or web trail from a terror suspect, it could also look at the
calls from the people that suspect has spoken with—one hop. And then,
the calls that second person had also spoken with—two hops. Terror
suspect to person two to person three. Two hops. And now: A third hop.

16. “The Federal Reserve Is A Perpetual Debt Machine That Is Designed To
 Create Inflation”
The Federal Reserve is a private banking cartel that was created by the
bankers and that serves the interest of the bankers. It was designed to
perpetually increase the U.S. national debt and to perpetually create
inflation. Unfortunately, it has done a great job on both counts. Since
the Federal Reserve was created back in 1913, the U.S. national debt has
 gotten more than 5000 times larger, and the value of the U.S. dollar
has fallen by more than 96 percent.

Are there any other “conspiracy theories” that you would add to this
list? Please feel free to join the discussion by posting a comment
below…

About the author: Michael T. Snyder is a former Washington D.C. attorney
 who now publishes The Truth. His new novel entitled “The Beginning Of
The End” is now available on Amazon.com.

Source: The Truth Wins via True Activist
http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2013/07/16-conspiracy-theories-that-turned-out-to-be-true.html

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The Longest Active Graff Writer In The World: DISCO DUCK (RIP)

You'd be amazed at how many people are still in amazement when you tell them that the first element of hip hp, graffiti did not start in NY. (crazy bugged look):"Well, where did it start then?" And you say Philly and they be like. "Get the fuck outta here!!" I mean, unless you run into a real old school New Yorker who has no problem telling you the truth. Then you believe it. Its amazing that people, with over 40 years into the culture STILL don't know their hip hop history.


CORNBREAD, legend of legends started what we call graffiti in 1967 in North Philadelphia, a section called Brewerytown. In that first wave of writers before 1970, there were many innovations and firsts that transferred to our cousins in NY, that they took and made into the artistic part of the culture that decorates galleries and large scale murals the world over. But the tag??? It was and STILL is the Philadelphia legacy and no place on this small blue planet, no one writes graffiti like them boys from Philly. NOBODY.

In the years that marked the emergence of writers from across the city of Philadelphia, there was one who caught the bug in the year after CORNBREAD made his famous announcement in the Philadelphia Bulletin that he had quit writing on walls (CORNBREAD was such a big deal that this announcement made first page of a major daily newspaper). The year was 1971, ironically the same year that TAKI 183 was featured in the Village Voice as the 'originator' of the tag form. With CORNBREAD out of the way, many youngsters made the rush to claim the crown. One was a young Michael McCracken, who would later be known as the legendary DISCO DUCK.

Starting his writing adventure in 1972, there has not been a single year that DUCK has not wrote on walls, up until his sickness this past year. In fact, he recently made his run in the tunnels in 2013 at 57 years old, while walking with a cane. I don't mean a tag or two, this man ran the length of 10 subway stops, equaling hundreds of tags on a several mile stretch. This was who DISCO DUCK was. He was a REAL writer.

DUCK started his adventures on the walls in 1972 as a part of ICP, the Imperial Casanova Persuaders, a writing/social club that started in 1969. ICP is still a standard in the city and only the best make the ranks. ICP is without a doubt, the oldest active graffiti crew in the world. His signature hand style, helped to innovate the Philadelphia tradition of a "stamp", or a trademark, signature style. His nonstop way of writing his name later made was for the development of the script style, a favorite style used by writers the world over. The script is a style that is noted for being more horizontal, while DUCK's tag is more vertical in the true Philadelphia tradition. Tall prints developed as a way to gain more attention on the wall and to this day is still practiced and perfected in the city. There is not one writer in the city who will not, CAN NOT give credit to DISCO DUCK as an influence in this style. But there is another area he REALLY excelled. BOMBING.

 DUCK is without a doubt the ALL TIME KING OF WALLS in Philly graff history, hands down. His status is marked by his consistency over the 40+ years he has been writing, although there are many who commanded the periods in which they appeared. If any of you are familiar with the history of the NY bomber JA, a world renowned bombing specialist (who has come to Philly on many occasions to throw down since the 1990s), then I want you to imagine that type of writer consistently over a 40 year span. While his activity was not as always charged in a year round fashion, in every decade, he made significant runs that rivalled the all city kings of each era. In the 1990s, a period graff historians in Philadelphia call the Resurrection, a period that the old writers from the 70s and 80s came back in full force, DUCK was right along leading the charge along with RAZZ (rip) and BX, a NY transplant that has an impressive history in Philly graff extending from the late 1970s.

DUCK was also one part of one of the most prolific combo units with his partner BAK, also known as BOOGIE BAK and the two tore the city down! One of BAK's aliases, The Real King would be used by DUCK to create an actual graff club, composed of the most prolific bombers in the city, including JAPAN(Just A Pimping Ass Nigga) and KADISM, who will be one day considered the all time King of Walls now that DUCK has passed away. There is no other crew that has as an elite roster as TRK. The books for that club has not been opened for a new member in 20 years. DUCK's crew is the highest aspiration every bomber has in the city.

Although the writer OZ from Germany passed at 64 years old, DUCK is still the longest active graffiti writer by far, even passing at 59 years old, having passed only this past week, due to the year he started, not his physical age. The only graffiti writer who could lay a claim to such a title is the absolutely legendary New York writer, STAY HIGH 149, who unfortunately passed in 2012. He is the only one who could come close, starting writing at around the same time in 1972. And although i have personally seen marker tags of his in the 90s and 2000s in NY, i do not remember STAYHIGH making a full fledged bombing run with paint reminiscent of his younger years. (please correct me if I'm wrong). This is what DISCO DUCK has done, faithfully, every decade since he started writing graffiti.

For those that know him, know that he was the most likable person you would meet. But don't get it twisted, DUCK ain't take no shit from nobody. The funniest thing was this 'resentment' he had for CORNBREAD, who must have told him when he started writing that he never saw his name... lol. I'm sure that chance encounter is probably the spark that ignited the Legend of DISCO DUCK (and I'm sure a lot of us started with that same chip on our shoulder). Rest assured, there is NO ONE who could ever say that about him these days. I mean, the man has layers of dated tags that STILL exist in subway tunnels from his first run in subway tunnels in 1973! he has literally 4 generations of tags down there. If you think I'm stretching the truth, come to Philly and catch the Orange Line, The Broad Street Line  and see for yourself. This line is full of graff history.  For the tags before 1971, it is THE HISTORY OF GRAFFITI ITSELF..... and DUCK was a major contributor to that history. YOUR history. The history of Hip Hop culture.

Rest In Piece DISCO DUCK. We will NEVER forget you.

by DENSKE -TUK,ATP,WAB,HCS

DISCO DUCK, stamping the subway tunnels once again, 40 years in, in 2013. he walked the subway tunnels on his last run with a cane. Do you love the game THAT much?

TAD (THEE AMAZING DUCK) waay uphigh, mid 1970s. Also in the picture, KADISM and subway tunnel bomber RAKA, mid 1980s. Along with old school PREACH, late 70s.

  

The STAMP, DISCO DUCK, 1980s

Here's a doozy for you... here are NY legends SMITH and SANE (RIP) in Philadelphia with a very rare DUCK block buster. He was bomber not a piecer, and he'd be the first to tell you. But his vintage approach, even in this mid 1990s picture, is still dope regardless. The DUCK was there first. I'm sure they knew who he was.

DUCK, mid 90s, TRK, in a pure writer's location.

DISCO DUCK, late 1980s. Also on the walls, piece king and style innovator CREDIT, XTC, his combo, the late great RAZZ, LAW1 and the infamous SO BAD, ICP. also pictured CEE, TET.

Here DUCK is flanked by RAKAN, KMD, a style master in the city and founder of KMD, a huge crew in the BadLands, North Philly (currently serving 25 years for gun and drug related charges). Above the DUCK is a CREEP tag, our recently departed comrade (RIP). and to his left, his protege, the next all time King Of Bombing, KAD, TRK.

Lets go waaaaay back... early 70s, maybe 1973, 74.... the DUCK stamp in its early stages, still innovative in its non stop action, the first tag ever of its kind. The WP stands for West Philly, a common thing for writers to announce what side of town their from. In neighborhoods where it is dangerous to be in, signing a side of town can be a badge of honor, stating that u had the heart to be there. It can also have severe consequences, from a good ol' fashioned ass whooping, to a shooting. Philadelphia has always been recognized as one of the nation's most violent cities.

DISCO DUCK, TRK, subway tunnel action, date unknown.

The man himself, DISCO DUCK, in the early 1990s. I believe this is the King Center, a meeting place for graff writers. You will in most cases always see a KADISM tag somewhere near a DUCK 'slam', as tags are called in Philly. He is DUCK's protege and heir apparent.

DUCK, chillin, probably wit a 40. I'm gonna miss him.

Dedication to his mentor and full acknowledgement of his status as an innovator and inspiration, here KADISM lets it be known. Probably with the single greatest run on the walls in the 1980s, KADISM has made impressive returns also during his 30 year graff career. With no signs of slowing down, KADISM will one day be considered for DUCKS crown. He is without a doubt a strong keeper of the tradition and legacy set by DISCO DUCK.

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BROTHERMAN: REVELATION Graphic Novel Teaser

Dawud Anyabwile (formerly known as Dave Sims) the creator and artist for Brotherman.

For many of us comic book heads, there is one guy who has some of the most bangin artwork in the comic book world period. to many of us graffiti writers, he has provided numerous characters to put up with out pieces. And now, Dawud Anyabwile and his brother Guy Sims, the writer for the series, are set to bring us the next installment in the Brotherman saga, BROTHERMAN:REVELATION, a graphic novel.


All real fans of the comic know that the book debuted and became a classic in its black and white form. This book is in color and based on what we here at the site have seen personally and what has been released in the trailers are all proving to be the absolute best book in the ongoing story of Antonio Valor and his quest to bring justice to his city.


Make no mistake tho, what we love most about Dawud's work is that it is done in a style that is reminiscent of graffiti characters. And that is by no accident. Dawud was affiliated with some of Philadelphia's (his hometown) most well know and respected graff artists. He even lent his talents to a now legendary graffiti production that never was finished, but is still considered one of the city's all time classic graff  pieces. He's one of us. 

"The Ozone" 1986. Classic graff piece done by LOVER(RIP) on the wall here as SAB and PARRISH, on the wall here as ALERT, also known as SKIM FBA. He is the only known Philly graff writer to do pieces on trains in NY during the golden era. All of the characters were done by our boy Dawud, then known as Dave Sims.

An example of Dawud's early work with airbrush at a shop called Wild Tops in downtown Philadelphia, circa 1988

An album cover done by Dawud, then Dave Sims, 1987

Stay tuned and have that credit card ready to order. Pre-orders are available at www.brothermancomics.com

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