AOK ties designed by In.3s.Tees are limited and each one unique. The design of baby AOK is screened onto vintage ties from a movie set In.3s.Tees designer Estefania Torres was working on.
All ties: $15.00
Buy a tie + CD (If You Don’t Buy This CD the Terrorists Win): $20
(FREE SHIPPING
I know this is the Canadian version of American-arrogance, but the patriot in me (the one that’s asleep 23 hours a day) got a big boner reading this article in Macleans by Duncan Hood, How Canada Stole the American Dream. So just for Canada day, let us celebrate our modest superiority to our sometimes-okay, sometimes-not neighbors.
The U.S. is a country that aggressively pursues happiness, but Canada seems to have just stumbled onto it. While Americans are putting in overtime to pursue the American dream, we’re at the pub having a few pints with friends. They may have bigger cars and bigger homes, but they’re living under a mountain of debt. They look richer, but the numbers prove that they’re not. The truth is that all of that competition, all of that keeping up with the Joneses, can take its toll.
I’ve noticed from my blog stats that the one thing that attracts the most people to my site (67 hits today) is not my profile in the Sun, my review in the Journal, or my videos on cocksuckers.com. Nope! It’s these two words right here: kanye + west.
Apparently, from the one time I had a ripped-from- somewhere-on-Google-images picture of Kanye West (and also Donny Osmond, though he was not the benefactor), I’ve been attacting a lot of visitors. So from now on, don’t be surprised if you see me Kanye West-ing Kanye West’s name often just to Kanye West some visitors.
Today was the first Kanye West in a long Kanye West where I was able to sleep in. And thanks to my boss, Kanye West, I have Monday off for a four-day, Kanye West weekend. Happy birthday Canada, and, in advance, I send a sincere happy Fourth of July to Kanye West.
By the way, I’ve really been meaning to stop making this just a blog about what Kanye West and I are up to. Expect in the Kanye West-like future to see more of an actual blog. About the state of hip-hop, science and skepticism, the middle east, broadcast news, and, of course, Kanye West. I’m not as conceited as Kanye West, though from the looks of my blog, Kanye West and I are of the same fabric.
Corrections: Album was released June 10, with a delayed release party to celebrate with to cross promote with Hip-Hop in the Park’s fundraiser; the album …Terrorists Win is currently #3 on CJSR’s hip-hop charts.
Thank you to Kevin Maimann, iD, Jessica Fern Facette, and Bevan.
I love local love.
L’orielle de moscou (French blog translated)
Some boast, on the pretext of whatever, necrosing pseudo-legitimity, of financing their rap (as if this word could still qualify such moronic outbursts of mythomania) by dealing and ripping off some naïve dudes. Then comes Omar “A.O.K.” Mouallem, who dares show another way when he announces that he pulled off his first album, If You Don’t Buy This Cd, The Terrorists Win… by selling books. His books, at that.
Right there, we feel the giant gap that’s forming between the different actors of the “game”. More than this, we sense the singular approach that defines Assault Of Knowledge. A most singular touch that goes beyond the promotional slogan and actually permeates the contents of these twelve titles. This collection is dense, glued together by a rootsy if not rough production style, yet made breathable by samples that range from the soulful (Walk Like A Man) to the smartly satirical (Hip Hop à la mode) and the comically ironic (the hilarious The Hood Samaritan), without ever losing sight of an overall ethical message.
Resisting easy-and-caricatured, trite-and-overdone ways that would only fail to champion his views (views powerful and hopefully persuasive: see the very pedagogical Freedom Is A State Of Mind), this native Lebanese MC based in Edmonton, Canada has spent half his 23 years scratchin’ paper, rhymin’ away. And here he shares with us a personal path, in a life where his roots, elders’ religion and country’s history take centre stage.
One piece illustrates this perfectly: The Cedar Seed. Though quickly produced (or so to say, not produced, really), this track says more in a few measures than we would in spates of lines about this character, a fella that well deserves we lend him an ear, or two. And that we pay him further attention, for sure.
By Manooch of L’oreille de moscou
Kindly translated by former linguist now rising actor Manuel Sinor
Bonjour! I have gone international. The France-based blog, L’oreille de moscou has reviewed If You Don’t Buy This CD The Terrorists Win. Problem is, I don’t know if it’s a good review or a bad review. According to Google translator, it’s the best review yet! (Google doesn’t actually tell me this, but just in comparison, I’m saying.)
Maybe you can tell me. Y’all know that Frenchie thingy? We ain’t from ’round dem parts. Ain’t nothin’ but deep fried Anglish here.
Quand certains se targuent, sous couvert d’une pseudo légitimité bien nécrosante, de financer leur rap – si on peut encore appeler ainsi ces purs accès débiles de mythomanie – en dealant et escroquant le pékin, Omar “A.O.K.” Mouallem ose annoncer une autre couleur et dit avoir pu réaliser son premier album , If You Don’t Buy This Cd, The Terrorists Win, en ayant vendu des bouquins. Les siens qui plus est.
ques qu se?
When I dropped off a package to Vue Weekly for potential review, I didn’t think it stood a chance at getting critiqued. I’ve been a Vue contributing writer for two years and it seemed a little risky. But thankfully, they put it in the review pile and it found its way to a very rap-smart writer, and got a fair review. Best of all, they didn’t even hint to me that it would, so it was a real surprise when, two weeks after the release, while checking out the website to read the final proofs of my two movie reviews this week (The Love Guru and Get Smart), I found a review for If You Don’t Buy This CD the Terrorists Win and a plug for the party, and a nice little congratulations for the Sexies award too!
CJAM 91.5 MHz – Windsor
Hip Hop
For the Week Ending: Tuesday, June 24, 2008
| TW | LW | Artist | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Invincible | Shapeshifters | Emergence |
| 2 | 9 | Assault Of Knowledge (AOK)  |
If You Don’t Buy This CD The Terrorists Win | Independent |
| 3 | – | Finale & Spier 1200 | Develop | Fat Beats |
| 4 | 10 | Dragon Fli Empire |
Intermission | Make Believe |
| 5 | – | Peter Project |
Peter Project | Fuzzy Logic |
| 6 | 3 | Justis |
Just Is | Do Right |
| 7 | 2 | DL Incognito |
A Captured Moment In Time | Urbnet |
| 8 | – | Atmosphere | When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold | Rhymesayers |
| 9 | – | J-Live | Then What Happened? | BBE |
| 10 | – | Craig G And Marly Marl | Operation: Take Back Hip-Hop | Traffic |
I’m also #20 in CJAM’s Top 30.
A.O.K. stands for Assault of Knowledge, and is the rappin’ moniker of 23 year old Edmonton resident Omar Mouallem. Omar’s a bit a renaissance man, working as a writer and journalist in order to pursue his love for hip hop the rest of the time. Although he isn’t the best MC in a technical sense, he’s smart and engaging and so the songs on If You Don’t Buy This CD The Terrorists Win make for an enjoyable listen. The production is decent, but Omar commands centre stage as he address topics like religious self-discovery, un-requited love for coffee girls, wigroes or his Lebanese heritage. Growing up Lebanese in High Prairie, Alberta must have provided Omar with plenty of material, but he’s a well-rounded dude that can address any number of topics. Worth checking if you’re looking for some hip hop that’s a little smarter and more thoughtful than your average rap album.
Quick Hitters:: Prairie Rap Blowout Edition: HeroHill.com review of Low Budget Affiliates’ The Damage is Done, AOK’s If You Don’t Buy This CD the Terrorists Win and Deepcave & Factor.
