Dr. Todd Boyd’s thorough history of hip hop starts in the 1970s and shares how it has become central to music and American history, impacting nearly every aspect of pop culture since then. For both the informed and those who love today’s hip hop but lack some of the genre’s history, Boyd breaks it down into its key players, defining moments, and sprawling influence.
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When the creative folks at Advisory Board Crystals pick a theme for their collections they lean into it with full force. Their Critical Thinking Hoodie Planet Saving Information Fungi Edition 2 series celebrates the magic of medicinal mushrooms with four different perspectives. Mega Spore, Dislike Everyone Equally, Predictive Programming and Home Team Welcome each feature unique colors, textures and text layered onto their signature heavyweight fleece using puff paint, glitter, graphic transfer and chain stitching. Finished using contrast threads on inside-out seams, no detail is left unconsidered.
This product is sold by Advisory Board Crystals
Jot’s Spring Seasonal coffee features a single-origin bean from Peru, and it’s just what we’re vibing for spring. Floral forward, nicely balanced, with fruity notes. Jot uses a “progressive enrichment process” to extract coffee from the grounds. Nothing else is added in the process—the liquid is very concentrated coffee and water. One tablespoon of the concentrate delivers a proper cup of iced or hot coffee, and from there your options are unlimited. It’s also available in Original, Dark, Vanilla, Chocolate Hazelnut and Caramel. Price is for one-time purchase. Discounts for monthly subscriptions available.
This product is sold by Jot
Aperture, the photography-focused not-for-profit gallery and publisher, has released its first album, an accompaniment to the phonebook As We Rise: Photography from the Black Atlantic (2021), featuring images from The Wedge Collection. The LP features both classic and current Black music, featuring tracks from Tenor Saw, Jeff Parker, Cymande, Miriam Makeba and others. It’s compiled by Dr. Kenneth Montague and its liner notes are by Liz Ikiriko
Image Credits:
Front cover: Samuel Fosso, ’70s Lifestyle, 1975–78, © Samuel Fosso, Courtesy of the artist and JM Patras, Paris
Interior gatefold: Paul Anthony Smith, Junction 3, 2019, Unique picotage on inkjet print, spray paint, mounted on museum board, 40 x 60 inches, © Paul Anthony Smith, Courtesy of the artist and Jack Shainman Gallery, New York
Back cover: Jorian Charlton, Untitled (Sydné & Keverine), 2021 (detail), © Jorian Charlton, Courtesy of the artist and Cooper Cole Gallery, Toronto
This product is sold by Aperture
Clever Pup’s Food Travel Kit makes traveling with your dog (or other pet) much easier with its practical, durable and high quality system. The kit includes a carrier, two food-safe containers (if your pet eats cold food there’s a sleeve for an ice pack), two collapsible silicone bowls, a collapsible measuring cup, and a mat. A larger kit is also available.
This product is sold by Clever Pup
Conscious Step creates socks, hoodies and candles that feature illustrations of a range causes—from protecting Sloths to building homes, planting trees and saving rainforests, providing meals to those in need, and many others. A donation is made for each item purchased, one small way for you to subtly share concern about our world and the many ways in which we can help make a difference, however small it may seem. Purchasing a pair of these socks sends $1 to Conservation International. Kids and toddler sizes, , footies and more are also available.
This product is sold by Conscious Step
Family-owned and Oregon-based, Feral Fungi has been making premium mushroom supplements since 2016. Their line-up includes single mushroom tinctures, multi-mushroom blends as well as gummies. Their online store is highly educational and is organized by mushroom type, wellness benefit and even astrological alignment. Chaga is known for supporting the immune system and reducing inflammation so it’s a great supplement for almost everyone. Available as a single purchase or subscription in one or two ounce bottles, the mushrooms are ethically wild-harvested and extracted using a three stage process to maximize their effectiveness.
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Nice Laundry’s 6″ Pocket Short is well-proportioned, well-priced, comfortable (one of our editors ran a half-marathon in them) and come in many patterns, some of which are limited edition. The 6″ inseam shorts have pockets, a drawstring, and a Micromodal stretch nylon interior.
This product is sold by Nice Laundry
Kokomo’s Campus notebooks—available in myriad versions—provide quality options for most needs. These inexpensive B5 notebooks open completely flat, making writing a breeze. This notebook is 50 pages and 6mm lined. Other sizes, colors and sheet volumes available.
This product is sold by Bungu
Alpha (empowerment), Salt (cleansing), Jupiter (alignment) and Eros (sensuality)—each Imprint candle is formulated to help manifest your intentions or help you get into your vibe while meditating or entertaining. Each 10.5 oz candle is hand poured in a beautiful 12 oz old fashioned glass that, upon cleaning, can be used to lift your spirits in other ways. Available independently for $45 or as a set of all four for $170.
This product is sold by Les Loups Candle Co.
Artist Jiro Kamata makes art and jewelry from used camera lenses. The Oculus collection features a pair of earrings in 18k with matching optical lenses. From a ring to his larger art works, each shares a story of what the lenses saw in their past lives and creates a new way for us to appreciate them. Price is in Australian $ (approximately US $560)
Available from Funaki gallery
Whether you’re live-streaming or on a video call, Belkin’s Auto-Tracking Stand Pro with DockKit makes it easy to keep the camera on you while you are demonstrating, presenting, or doing anything where having a gadget follow your movement is helpful.
This product is sold by Belkin
You’ve likely seen this on social media, as we had, and we were skeptical that it would get the job done. After trying it out we’re happy with the results, and how easy it is to use. It also looks great sitting on the counter if you don’t have room for it in your knife drawer. Simply hold your knife spine edge down and place it on either end of the knife holder block (one side is angled to 15º, the other to 20º). Grab the roller with you other hand and roll, abrasive side touching the knife blade, to sharpen. When it has reached your desired sharpness turn the roller around and use the other side to buff it. If your blades are seriously dull you may want to have them professionally sharpened first, and use this regularly to keep them that way. Remember to sharpen your knives after every use—a sharp knife is a safe knife.
This product is sold by Tumbler
Logitech’s latest webcam features a larger sensor (which improves low-light performance) and an in-house designed lens, delivering ultra HD 4K resolution in a sleek, attractive package. Image detail is more than twice the resolution of the previous generation. If you care about your video you can adjust your color, light, ISO, shutter speed and more, and if you care about how you sound the MX Brio features two “beamforming” mics that deliver clear sound even when you are in a noisy environment. You can tilt it to show things on your desktop, which is handy. And when you desire privacy you simply rotate the large shutter wheel to physically close the camera’s view.
This product is sold by Logitech
Our editor hasn’t worn other shoes since receiving these this week, touting the shoe’s comfort and performance. Your feet feel stable thanks to the breathable “Spacermesh” upper and sturdy Vibran Megagrip lower which grips surfaces as you walk or climb. Fold down the heel to create a slide for an even more relaxed vibe. While these were designed with outdoor and technical performance in mind, we think they are also a pretty perfect travel shoe. Available in mens and womens sizes.
This product is sold by Arcteryx
Brian Eno has released his next generation light art turntable following the success of his first in 2021, which achieved cult status and became the muse for U2’s mind-blowing show at The Sphere. Similar in concept, Turntable II, 2024 is a fully functional, audiophile turntable featuring a Pro-Ject tonearm, Ortofon cartridge, belt-drive motor and gold plated RCA connectors. The body is made of a single resin block with a frosted cast acrylic cover, and it features a control board and Arduino chip that powers the ever-changing dopamine inducing show of colors. Handmade in the UK, it’s available in an edition of 150 pieces and 20 artist proofs.
Photos © Brian Eno courtesy Paul Stolper Gallery, photography Luke Walker, 2024
This product is sold by Paul Stolper Gallery
There isn’t much more to say than these two limited edition watches from Braun and Hodinkee—their first collaboration—are everything you’d expect them to be. Limited to 100 pieces each, the classic model is available in either a Center Seconds or Sub-Seconds edition. Sleek, simple, elegant, not flashy, it’s a great daily driver and one that doesn’t bring too much attention to your wrist (in all the right ways). Inspired by Braun’s AW10 and AW50 watches, the stainless steel watch is 40mm.
This product is sold by Hodinkee + Braun
We love when CH readers send us their work. Artist Nate Nettleton shared his latest project, an ongoing series inspired by Pantone’s Color of the Year. Starting with the program’s launch in 2000, he’s created one work for each year, showing both the Color of the Year as well as its circular gradient opposite. Printed on 300gsm cotton rag matte paper, the works are available as single editions in 24″ x 30″ and 40″ x 50″; 16″ x 20″ prints have editions corresponding to the color’s release year—1 for the 2000 color, 25 for the 2024 color, etc.
This product is sold by Nate Nettleton Art
This product is sold by Magic Mind
Introduced earlier this month, the Cityverse is lululemon’s foray into casual sneakers. We’ve tested them thoroughly and are impressed with their comfort, support and versatility. A soft foam molded insole conforms nicely to your foot and the grippy outsole sticks well to most surfaces, wet or dry. With a basic casual-yet-sporty look they can be dressed up or down and given they’re resilient enough to exercise in they’re a perfectly versatile travel shoe for those of us who prefer to carry less. The Cityverse is available in both womens and mens fits and sizes with a few launch colorways and surely more to come.
This product is sold by Lululemon
More than an alluring scent, Rose Noire Eau de Parfum from L’OBJET comes in a sophisticated black glass vessel with lacquered cap replete with a crackling effect (like all their fragrances). Within, the beautifully balanced fragrance is a classic rose, but with warm spicy and mossy notes.
This product is sold by L'Objet
When we think of single-minded passion, vision and dedication, pizza chef and restauranteur Anthony Mangieri ranks high on our list. His celebrated Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC offers pizza in its purest form, perfectly cooked in a wood fired oven. You can’t always make it to your favorite pizzeria for a quality pie, and frustrated by the current frozen pizza offerings he took the challenge upon himself to create not just an acceptable, but an exceptional, frozen pizza. Made in Italy, Genio Della Pizza is now available in four traditional pies—Margherita, Marinara, Bianco, Broccoli Rabe. Pies use only the best, and most minimal ingredients, just like at the restaurant. Visit to find retailers near you, order locally on Fresh Direct, DashMart, GoPuff and Feed, or for national delivery on Goldbelly.
This product is sold by Genio Della Pizza
RØDE’s new DS2 Studio Arm has been a welcome addition to our podcast recordings, providing a sturdy, compact, quiet and well-designed stand for our microphones. It also holds your phone, camera, or lights, offering maximum flexibility with its 3/8″ and 1/4″ adaptors. A weighted baseplate keeps it where you need it, cables are neatly managed with its guide slots, and it silently adjusts to most any position.
This product is sold by RØDE
Designed by Whipsaw design studio, the Flex Hydration System provides athletes with an easy-to-use hydration pack that allows you to drink from either of the pack’s two reservoirs or easily custom mix the two fluids—such as water and electrolytes—with the turn of the unit’s dial. Its principal reservoir is 1.75l and it’s second / mix reservoir is .75l. Leakproof and easy to clean, we appreciate its simple functionality, practicality, and thoughtful design.
This product is sold by MXXY
Enjoy a taste of NYC’s Via Carota at home with their subtle Signature Martini. With four drinks in a bottle, this cocktail is crafted using vodka and dry vermouth for a light, citrus-forward iteration of the classic. The sophisticated, etched bottles make these batched cocktails elevate any occasion, and also make a fantastic host gift.
This product is sold by Via Carota
Alex Mill has launched a new line of jeans for both men and women, made in Los Angeles. Though the brand has created denim items before, this is their foray into the 5-pocket jeans category. Founders Mickey Drexler, Alex Drexler and Somsack Sikhounmuong have leveraged their expertise developed over several decades at The Gap, Old Navy, J. Crew and Madewell to source, cut and treat denim with a clear focus on becoming the next classic. The jeans—designed with an emphasis on offering the best fit for anyone—are available in three styles for women and one for men. They’re made with regenerative cotton and finished in a range of authentic looking vintage-inspired washes. Prices range from $195 to $225 based on style and wash.
This product is sold by Alex Mill
