taji ameen
Inside the World's Largest Ventriloquist Convention
VICE met roughly 500 puppeteers who gather at Vent Haven every year to buy new dummies, perform, and trade techniques.
Lurking the Lower East Side with Lurkavelli
Outsiders have taken over the Lower East Side, but according to the rapper Lurkavelli, gentrification hasn't stopped the neighborhood's poverty and crime problems.
Acapulco Gold and Friends
Spring starts next week, and to celebrate the hotly anticipated good weather, I'm premiering my latest skateboarding video, “Acapulco Gold and Friends.”
Dro FE Raps About Life on the Border of Texas and Mexico
For this week's Mahal, I cruised the streets of New York with Dro FE, a Texan rapper who recently released a free self-titled EP exploring his childhood in the Rio Grande Valley, where you either drive a Lambo or live in a shack.
The Eramatics Are Teenage Rappers with Classic Hip-Hop Souls
For this week's Mahal, I met with the super fly trio the Eramatics. TahJmall, Ziiion, and Lexington bonded in middle school over their mutual love for music and being knuckleheads. In between skipping class and staying out late, they discovered their...
Rilgood Is Brooklyn's Self-Proclaimed King of Nigeria
For this week's Mahal, photographer Cheney Orr and I hooked up with our friend Rilgood—a rapper who calls himself “the King of Nigeria.” Rilgood immigrated from Nigeria to New York and since then has established himself as a musician known for his...
Watch the Gonz's New Short Film '08NOBEL80'
A few nights ago, I received a late night phone call from artist and skateboarder Mark Gonzales a.k.a. the Gonz. We made plans to meet at midnight at Astor Place. Over the next few hours, the Gonz shot footage of us riding skateboards and bikes through...
Elena Maria Garcia Is Sick of People Asking if She Speaks Mexican
For this week's Mahal, I spoke to the Cuban American comedian Elena Maria Garcia about her new one-man show, Do You Speak Mexican?, about her experiences as a first generation American in South Florida.
Traveling Across America with the Infinite Daps Tour
Alongside filmmaker Adam Sauermilch, I spent ten days on a bus, documenting RL Grime, Baauer, Ryan Hemsworth, and Jim-E-Stack on their Infinite Daps Tour.
Jumping Around with Ninjasonik
This week on the Mahal, I'm speaking to my favorite musical group, Ninjasonik, and premiering the music video for their homage to House of Pain's rap classic “Jump Around.”
Catching up with Krussia, New York's Best Russian Rapper
For this week's Mahal, I hit up Russian rapper Krussia's 2 AM performance at CMJ's international show. Over the last few years, I've ran into Krussia from time to time as shredded the streets of New York on his bike. Here's a live video from his CMJ...
Jill Di Donato Talks About Her Book About Sex in the Lower East Side
For this week's Mahal, I met with author and sex columnist Jill Di Donato at a garden to discuss her new novel and video project, Beautiful Garbage, about the commercialization of sex and the art scene in the Lower East Side.