I AM A BEAST!!!

Video footage from the Best Dance Crew Tour in Canada has hit YouTube. Check out the following video of Supreme Soul's performance. The guys are rockin' our brand new shirts..."I AM A BEAST...FEED ME DANCERS, FEED ME BEATS".



Supreme Soul NEVER disappoints. Their routines are always entertaining and so precise. There is more video footage on YouTube of the crew freestyling, so be sure to check that out as well. Oh yeah, and don't forget to sign up for the No Rival newsletter at norival.com to stay informed on the drop date for these shirts and to see previews of our next season. Much more to come...

NO RIVAL
http://www.norival.com

Supreme Soul x No Rival

Ahhhhhh yeah!!!! I know it's been a minute since we hit you with an update, but good things come to those who wait...at least that's what I've been told. Well, this time it's true. I am pleased to announce that No Rival has been working hard behind the scenes on a collaborative project with the one and only SUPREME SOUL from MTV's America's Best Dance Crew - Season 2. If you have not seen the show or know who I am talking about, you need to do your homework and check them out. They are one of the greatest dance crews on this planet and they proved it in front of millions of viewers on ABDC this year. The good people at No Rival, like many others all over the globe, have been inspired by Supreme Soul's style and attitude. We believe there is no rival to the art they are creating...this art known as urban dance. Each member of the crew has their own specialty under the "umbrella" of urban dance, whether it's breakdancing, house, popping, locking, hip-hop, etc. When these guys fully utilize their individual talents and come together to put on a performance, they are a BEAST!!! Their shows are out of control!!! Trust.

So, enough already...What's up with the designs, fool!? Well, when No Rival and Supreme Soul got together we wanted to kick off the project with a series of shirt designs that defined the essence and the attitude of this fierce dance crew. I think Supreme Soul said it best themselves when they said, "Individually, the members of our crew see themselves as "beasts" of their own style, but collectively, we create a "monster.' With that, Supreme Soul member, Pharside, came up with the tagline for our first wave of shirts...



Exclusive ZEBRA/PURPLE colorway coming to our web site and No Rival distributors...


These shirts are being worn by the members of Supreme Soul during their performances on the latest leg of their tour up in Canada. Be on the lookout for video of these performances on YouTube shortly. The shirts will be available for sale in late January via the NR web site, NR distributors, and at Supreme Soul performances.

It has been fantastic working with a crew that really embodies the spirit and idea behind our brand. The combination of No Rival design with Supreme Soul inspiration is surely going to yield some crazy 'ish. There are many designs in the works right now that we plan to launch in the Spring, so make sure you keep your head in the game. This is JUST the beginning. We will be sending out teasers of new designs just after the Holidays. Until that time...

NO RIVAL
http://www.norival.com

NO RIVAL @ TRUE Women

The TRUE Womens store in San Francisco just picked up some NO RIVAL female tees. If you happen to be out on Haight Street getting your shop on, make sure to hit up the store and pick up one of our shirts if you haven't already done so. There is a huge amount of fresh gear for the Fall at the TRUE Womens store right now.

Started in San Francisco in July 1996, TRUE ventured to fill a void: No stores on Haight Street were selling hip hop gear. In those days, hip hop clothing was Wu Wear, Phat Farm, and a bunch of labels that you probably never heard of and aren’t around anymore. Twelve years later True is still on Haight Street selling hip hop gear. As the times have changed, so has “hip hop” gear. The lines between hip hop, street, skate, punk are blurring. Currently, the cool guy movement is an example of that blurring. TRUE has always been a big believer in not stereotyping people and that carries over into how they merchandise their stores. TRUE Women's objective is to provide fashionable, strong, independent, and female owned and inspired brands.

NO RIVAL

World of Dance Tour | No Rival

No Rival will be exhibiting at the World of Dance Tour at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, CA on Saturday September 27th. We will have all of our designs available for purchase. Come by and check us out if you are going to the show. Please click on the banner below for all of the information...



The World of Dance is the largest U.S. urban dance and hip hop competition. Hundreds of participants, the country’s top Dance Troupes, and thousands of spectators will partake in a performance festival setting, awarding today’s top dancers and b boys with the most prestigious acknowledgements.

NO RIVAL

Supreme Soul & No Rival Act a Fool

Here are RJ and Slim from Supreme Soul actin' a fool at the Built from Skratch studios with No Rival.

Check out the next video too on supremesoul.tv. Raul (RJ) is rocking our Shooting Star tee.

No Rival @ MAGIC

I know, I know...we have been slacking on the blog updates in a major way, but we've been busy!!! We do have lives outside of No Rival!!! It's pathetic, actually. My first "vacation" or "trip" this Summer was to the MAGIC Tradeshow in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago to introduce our brand and network with others in the industry. I still had fun, though. I met some really cool people and saw some fantastic designs at the show. The only bad part about the whole trip was that I spent way too much money at Ted Baker and Barney's. I actually bought a couple of brand new shirts at Ted Baker from their Fall Season. It was over 100 degrees out in Vegas and I was still compelled to buy Fall clothing. Their Fall Season is just that fresh. Enough about my addiction to retail, let's talk about MAGIC.

The MAGIC Tradeshow was definitley a good time. We spent a majority of our days in the South Hall, where the Streetwear and Sourcing sections were. The upstairs was aiiiight, but downstairs was way more interesting. This was the S.L.A.T.E. section of the show. S.L.A.T.E. is described as an assortment of eclectic and sophisticated brands that originated in the skate, surf, and street communities and are steadily making their way into the mainstream with all the fashion and attitude of the hipsters, artists, and musicians who've inspired them. S.L.A.T.E brands go beyond a trend and are thoroughly immersed in a culture. These brands transcend price point and demographic and are now the ones to watch from retail's global level. Here are some pics from S.L.A.T.E....

S.L.A.T.E.

Chris from No Rival and Chris from Jabbawockeez...I mean Super Crew...I mean...dude, which crew do you rep!? I opted for the tried and true peace sign. There always seems to be a need for peace amongst the battling crews. I'm a lover, not a fighter. One thing I am certainly not is a dancer. I'll leave that to the crews. The Jabbawockeez had a great shirt that was being shown at their booth that read "SIN CITY WOK IT OUT!" The guys were extremely nice and it seemed like they really enjoyed freestyling at the show. Much respect to the Jabbawockeez crew.

VIDEO!!! Check out the Jabbawockeez getting down!!!

I MUST have this pillow from Foreign Family!!! I know you remember their shirt with the same design!!! I'm not so sure my female visitors would appreciate this in my bed or on my couch, but this graphic just really relaxes me for some reason. I don't know. Perhaps it's the subtle tongue action.











Graffiti art outside the hall. Fresh!!!

NICE

NICE

NICE

Yo! It's Josar from Boogie Bots!!! I don't care what anyone says. The Boogie Bots routine on ABDC when they transformed themselves into a robot was crazy!!! I was watching that one on YouTube over and over again...nice dude too.

Other notable sights at the show were the Street Fighter 4 gaming monitors at the Triumvir booth, Undrcrwn's new season(with new shoe models), the smooth fitteds from In4mation...ummm...oh yeah...and I saw Kimora Lee Simmons walking around. That chick is a monster. I mean she is very tall. There is way too much to tell in one blog, but don't worry, I did have fun without you.

Before we left the show. We checked out the sourcing section in an effort to discover some new suppliers for our apparel and accessories. We FINALLY found a decent Pimp Cup supplier. Watch out for the exclusive NO RIVAL PIMP CUPS this Winter. We are throwing in free NR Pimp Cups to all orders over $100. Whhhhat!? Yeaaaaaaayah!!! Yeah...I'm just playin'...but you're smart, so you already knew that.








DON'T FORGET TO CRUISE BY THE NO RIVAL PARTY @ VERSE IN OAKLAND THIS WEEKEND!!!


FLEX FLAV CREW!!! DJ GREG J!!! DO IT!!! DO IT!!! DO IT!!!


- NO RIVAL

No Rival on Fatlace.com

No Rival has been featured on Fatlace.com!!! You can check out the blog entry by clicking the following link ...

http://fatlace.com/2008/07/18/no-rival/

Much respect to Ron at Fatlace for recognizing our brand. Fatlace is a great shop that carries some very unique brands, so be sure to visit Fatlace next time you are out in SF.

Fatlace was started in the Winter of 1998 in San Francisco and went live in 1999. Throughout the years, they have collaborated with some of the best in the industry to bring their interpretation of the culture to the people.

It’s 2008 now, 10 years since they first introduced their vision. This year they turned into a living and breathing magazine where you get to see exclusive interviews and information relating to our culture which deals in art, fashion, cars, and anything that has 2 wheels. Fatlace Magazine is published daily and features are published on Sundays. Be sure to stay up on it!

As always, please make sure to visit http://www.norival.com to pick up t-shirts from our Summer line. It's July and it is not getting any cooler...but I am...ICE COLD!!!

No Rival @ Verse Boutique

The one and only Verse Boutique in Downtown Oakland has picked up the first season of No Rival t-shirts!!! Men's and women's designs are available.

Verse Boutique is a shop that, like No Rival, is rooted in urban sub-cultures and the arts. This unique space caters to a discerning clientele that is always looking for something fresh and that represents a unique style.

Inside of the store you will find exclusive sneakers from heavy hitting brands such as Nike, Adidas, Creative Recreation, and even some local shoe companies. If you come by at the right time, you may even be able to lay your eyes on some of the illest customs done up by local artists. Verse also carries a solid mix of apparel brands including...eh emm...NO RIVAL.

As you raise your head up and take a look around the walls above the merchandise in the store, you will find some of the most bold and creative artwork. This is not child's play, though. This is art that you might find in some of the most renowned urban or modern art museums. The guys at Verse have artists coming in and out, placing new work in the store on an almost weekly basis, so the art is always fresh. Verse strives to do the same with some of their apparel. It is always exciting at Verse because you never know what you might find from week to week.

When I came through to visit the Verse family last week, they had a dude who created some luxury AK's in gold, burberry pattern, versace, and fendi. If you haven't been able to find that gold plated AK 47 in your most recent issues of Guns and Ammunition, now is your chance to cop one! The highlights that made the store were still the staple urban elements; the old school boom box, the framed superstars, and the graffiti work. It was all fantastic. The guys at Verse have put together an eclectic, but beautiful shop in the downtown O that is a must visit. There is NO RIVAL to the Verse Boutique.

If you are out on the East side of the Bay, hit up Verse to check out their goods and look out for the NO RIVAL fits...on sale NOW!!!

Verse

461 9th Street

Oakland, CA 94607

(510) 663-4400

http://www.verseoakland.com/

That No Rival Cali-Knocks tee looks nice with those Blazers. I'll take it...

WWW.NORIVAL.COM IS UP!!!

The NO RIVAL Web Site has been launched!!!

The Summer has finally arrived and so have our brand new t-shirts. It has been a long time coming, but we are extremely excited to introduce our designs and hopefully see some folks rockin' them this season. Check out the store at www.norival.com.

Also be sure to check back often for updates on parties, events, and product news.

NO RIVAL...

No Rival Represents at The Roots/Erykah Badu Concert

The KMEL Paparazzi snapped some pictures of a few folks from the NO RIVAL family at the Roots/Erykah Badu concert at the magnificent Paramount in Oakland on Sunday evening. The Cali-Speakers tee in black and "Sucka!" tee in white are pictured here. Be sure to hit up norival.com next week to pick up these shirts if you don't already have them. The Cali-Speakers tee is a tribute to West Coast Hip Hop and the "Sucka!" tee you will just have to see for yourself. I saw your cousin last week and he already has his. I even saw your grandmama and she's got hers...so hit up the web site while supplies last!!!


Oh! The show!? It was amazing. The Roots did more than warm up the crowd by ripping through a number of their hits and proving again why they are one of the greatest Hip Hop groups of all time. They flowed seamlessly from one song to another with improvisational jams that bridged the gap between their album track performances. I know that this conversation has been beaten to death, but Black Thought really is one of the most underrated MC's in the game. I love watching him spit it with his ability to move from a laid back tone to a more aggressive stylee. That is what makes The Roots so fantastic! They can soothe with a beautiful mid-tempo jazz beat or R&B track, and then come back and crush you with a bass heavy, boom-bap beat that makes you want to jump up out of your chair...remember we are at the Paramount. The Roots can be as gangsta' as they want to be. The Roots new album, Rising Down, is still in my ride and I think it will remain there for the rest of the Summer.

Erykah Badu was equally amazing. I respect her so much as an artist because she ALWAYS makes a statement...and not only that...she leaves an impact. She came out on the stage looking like a fierce, funky Sideshow Bob. She was fitted in a red plaid suit that she might have borrowed from her baby's daddy, Andre 3000 from Outkast. Her hair was in full Afro explosion mode. Do not, however, let the looks deceive you. Once Miss Badu opened her mouth and her beautiful voice began to fill the expansive space of the Paramount theater all eyes were on her. Her sound is so wonderful. She brings a sweet voice to a perfect mix of Hip Hop, Jazz, R&B, Funk, and even a little Rock. The comparisons to Billie Holiday are certainly not unfounded. In my opinion, it is rare to see a female artist that garners so much love and respect from both the ladies and the guys. I'm talking MAD LOVE. I might go to the Mariah Carey show with my girlfriend and enjoy the melodies from the songs I hear and the radio (although she is hot too), but I am not constantly nodding my head or up out of my seat screaming for more. Badu's bass heavy jazz beats always remind me of early 90's Hip Hop. She cruised through her set drawing on songs from all four of her albums. I also enjoyed the moments when she was just messing around on her drum machine. I could go on and on about the show, but since this is the NO RIVAL blog, I will keep it at that. In my opinion, there is absolutely NO RIVAL to The Roots crew and Erykah Badu. They are doing what they love and it shows. I hope that they continue to make wonderful music well into the future. Until the next show...

NO RIVAL - SUMMER 2008 LOOKBOOK

The photo shoot for the No Rival - Summer 2008 line took place last week in the beautiful Oakland Hills. I am still editing the images and uploading them to the web site. I am hoping to have the web site launched by June 9th. Check out some of the photos of our fabulous models in the fresh dipped gear...

AWWWWW YEAH!!! We are, no doubt, excited about the launch of this brand!!! The store will be up soon, so hit us up next week at http://www.norival.com !!! PEACE!!!