Above The Clouds...

What's good everyone?

Life at Run The Line Mansions has been somewhat slow as of late with the whole family representing colds.

Runny noses aside, the news of Gang Starr emcee, Guru's tragic death recently inspired me to sharpen my pencils and rock a portrait.

Online, it seems like everybody and their grandma is flexing a Guru Tribute of some sorts or other, which just goes to show the impact Keithy E had on us Heads. In the last week I must have listened to 10 or more different Guru Tribute mixes, including DJ Premier's insightful radio salute.

I had the pleasure of meeting Guru a few times. As an other-enthusiastic aspiring DJ, I did my best to holla at him at the Gang Starr Full Clip Tour after party at London's Astoria, but he was understandably more concerned with talking to the ladies than listening to me. I wasn't mad. He passed through Mr Bongo one time while I was on my lunch, and my boy Wayne Wonda scored me an autographed 12" (good looking out). I also met him at Camden's Kung Fu randomly - he joined us at the bar and chatted for some time, and was real cool and super humble.

Obviously the questionable final statement and Solar's bizarre behaviour have had the internets buzzing, but I don't want to dwell on that. Instead I'd just like to offer a simple Rest in Peace to Guru - my thoughts go out to your friends and the Elam Family.

Anyways, check the sketch below (click to enlarge) and feel free to leave a comment.

All the best,

Mark 563

DJ Mark 563 Live Mix @ Wax Museum Monthly Jam...

What's going on folks?

Life here has been pretty hectic of late. Aside from my day job, the local football has been keeping us occupied with Melbourne Victory’s unfortunate A-League Grand Final performance and their current Asian Champions League campaign. Add to that the demands of a rapidly growing 1 year old Daughter, and I'm left with very little spare time, which means not much drawing. That said, this Easter Weekend is a 4 day holiday, so aside from my regular commitments, I hope to get some artwork done at some point.

In the mean time, I've been meaning to post this up for ages but for whatever reason I've not gotten around to it until today. A few months back the good folk at Wax Museum Records invited me down to their Monthly Hip Hop Jam at The Order Of Melbourne to spin a 2 hour set. I did it, and had a blast doing so. Below is a link to the set I played, which was recorded for the Wax Museum Podcast.

DJ Mark 563 Live at Wax Museum Records’ Monthly Jam

Here’s the tracklist:

Miles Tacket / Kid Named Miles - Ring Of Fire
Sister Nancy - Bam Bam
Rodney P - Nice Up
Louis Rankin - Typewriter Feat. Red Hot Lover Tone
Sister Nancy - Big Bam Beat
Capleton - Wings Of Morning (Remix) Feat. Method Man
Big Daddy Kane - Stop Shammin'
Big Daddy Kane - Who Am I Feat. Gamilah Shabazz
Black Sheep - Flavor Of The Month
Fat Joe - Watch The Sound Feat. Diamond D & Grand Puba
Showbiz & AG - Fat Pockets (Remix)
Diamond D - Best Kept Secret
Heavy D - Blue Funk
Pete Rock & CL Smooth - Straighten It Out
Ed OG - Love Comes & Goes
A Tribe Called Quest - The Jam
A Tribe Called Quest - Can I Kick It
Capleton - Original Man Feat. Q-Tip
Time Zone - Zulu War Chant
Frankie Cutlass - Puerto Rico (Instrumental)
Das EFX - Real Hip Hop
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Gin & Juice
Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Pt II
Nine - Whutcha Want
Dr Dre - Next Episode
Gang Starr - Full Clip
Nas - Nas Is Like
Nas - Halftime
Nas - Made You Look
KRS One - Step Into A World
Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
Notorious BIG - Hypnotize
Big Daddy Kane - Ain't No Half Steppin'
D-Nice - Call Me D-Nice
KRS One - Sound Of The Police
Ol' Dirty Bastard - Shimmy Shimmy Ya
Super Cat - Ghetto Red Hot (Remix)
Funkmaster Flex - 6 Million Ways To Die
Gang Starr - DWYCK Feat. Nice & Smooth
Main Source - Fakin' The Funk
Cypress Hill - How I Could Just Kill A Man
Diamond D - Sally Got A One Track Mind
Masta Ace - Music Man (Remix)
Breakestra - Cramp Your Style

Check it out and feel free to leave a comment.

Have a great long Easter Weekend.

Mark 563

Gin & Juice...

What’s happening folks?

This weekend I got another chance to break out the pencils and do some drawing while Corrie had lunch with the girls.

I’ve wanted to draw a Snoop Doggy Dogg portrait for a while, but hadn’t really found the right source image – I wanted a ‘Doggystyle’ era image, rather than a more recent picture, so was stoked when I came across this particular photo.

Have a butchers at the image below and let me what you reckon (click to enlarge)

Cheers,

Mark 563

Universal Magnetic...

Happy New Year everyone – I trust you all had a great Festive break. We had a quiet one here – a couple of weeks of family time with Corrie and Marley and very little else, aside from a couple of DJ gigs (Section 8 on Christmas Eve and support for Redman & Method Man on New Years Day) and linking with my old mate Graeme Sinden (big up to you and the Missus – safe journey home) while he toured Australia.

Considering we really didn’t do anything, I still struggled to find time to draw, so this weekend, while Corrie and Marley were out for the day, I finally found some time to do some much needed sketching. It’s mad hot out here right now (sorry my UK peoples), so closing the blinds and bunging the air con on while I flexed my pencils was a good look.

I’ve been a fan of Mos Def for the longest – from the old Urban Thermo Dynamics to guest spots on De La, Bush Babies and Tribe joints, not to mention his own 12”s on Rawkus – so I thought I’d rock a portrait of the man himself.

Check it out below and let me know what you reckon (click image to enlarge)

Cheers,

Mark 563

Devil's Son...

What’s happening people?

I trust all’s well with everyone. Life here has been hectic to say the least. My Daughter, Marley Marl, has grown so much since I last posted, and we’re now attending regular swimming lessons which are keeping our weekends busy. My day job has been flat-out too, with mad amounts of overtime, and I’ve had a few DJ gigs lately, so finding anytime to draw, or even blog, has been hard work.

Fortunately, this weekend I finally managed to find a few spare hours to dedicate to some more drawing. With both Marley and my Wife, Corrie, enjoying an afternoon nap, I sharpened my pencils and flexed this Big L (RIP) sketch.

Check it out below and let me know what you reckon.Cheers,

Mark 563