Portland Lyricist and Beat Maker Beyoung?s ?Validation? Scheduled for March Release

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB) January 14, 2011

Rising hip-hop artist Beyoung?s third album, titled ?Validation? and scheduled for release in March 2011, borrows heavily in some places on the artist?s experiences as a social services manager working with troubled kids in Portland.

Three years in the making, the self-produced compilation of the lyricist/beat maker?s most sophisticated song mix to date, Beyoung stretches his songwriting and musical talents with ?Validation,? to achieve a total package that addresses some serious social issues, takes some punches at mainstream rap and balances the menu with a few sophisticated instrumentals that borrow on classic techno and some 90?s west coast underground sounds.

From the soul-searching, self-defining title track to the darker themed ?Stockholm Syndrome? which examines domestic violence, Beyoung is a modern-day cultural folklorist, weaving words and beats into 13 unique tracks.

?All the tracks on ?Validation? are honest tracks about myself,? Beyoung says.

Beyoung splits his performances with his Korean alter ego ?Chung,? a fallen, wise monk with whom Beyoung identifies. The traditional Korean mask, called a talchum, that transforms the artist into Chung has been historically used by Korean performers wishing to express criticism of powerful locals freely.

?The original sense of the mask was ?to let something go? or ?to be free,?? Beyoung says.

Chung does just that, transforming Beyoung?s laid-back style of performing into a powerful production of his darker tracks. The duality of his onstage performance mirrors his real-life challenges as a social services counselor and mentor to troubled kids, and his passion for hip hop music.

?Being a hip hop artist is not without its difficulties, because many people in the business class look down on what I do,? he said. ?It gets frustrating because I can?t explain my passion for my work to people who don?t understand the genre and have a preconceived notion about this style of music.?

Still, nothing interferes with his focus on a musical career, even though his insistence on pursuing it non-commercially means that money is tight, and living lean may be a long term part of Beyoung?s vocation.

?It?s tough, it?s always a struggle financially but that?s OK,? he says. ?Some of my favorite underground artists are still living in apartments at 40, putting out free albums and waiting tables to buy music gear.

?As long as I?m getting my music out there, I?ll stick to it.?

In addition to his two previous albums, ?Truth be Told? and ?Thinking Too Much,? Beyoung gets airtime on Portland?s Wild 107.5 Radio and has been featured on two Portland artist compilation albums including PDX Pop Now!?s 2010 Compilation (http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pdxpopnow2010) and Failing Records: A Compilation of Portland Music.

More About Beyoung:????????????????????

Beyoung Yu (his real name) is a 23-year-old Portland native determined to pave his own non-traditional path in hip-hop and distance himself from the mainstream. A 2009 graduate of Portland State University, Beyoung spends his weekends working with some of the Northwest?s most troubled kids as a social services manager.

For more information on Beyoung, visit his website at http://www.timetobeyoung.com, or E-mail at Beyoungyu(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Related Word Search Maker Press Releases

Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes on View at The Museum at FIT, March 9 Through April 4

New York, NY (Vocus) January 14, 2010

The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) presents Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes, the first exhibition devoted to the Delman brand. Founded by Herman Delman in 1919 and today one of the oldest salon footwear brands in the United States, Delman?s glamorous, innovative, and classic shoes have been a cornerstone of the fashionable and quality-conscious woman?s wardrobe for the past 90 years. The company is known for embodying all that is chic, luxurious, and sophisticated. Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes will explore and reveal the company?s vibrant history of style, advertising, and fine craftsmanship.

Drawing from the permanent collections of both The Museum at FIT and the Delman archives, approximately 50 dazzling shoe styles will be presented alongside period examples of print advertisements, newsreel footage, and illustrated patents. These objects, dating roughly from 1926 to 2007, will chronicle the company?s rich history and creativity in both design and business.

Among the shoes on display will be a pair of multicolored, floral booties with a turn-back throat from the 1950s. Boldly original in their dramatic use of blue and purple hues, the booties draw attention to the lower leg. A pair of suede, instep strap sandals from circa 1939 performs a similar function. Boasting red, white, green, and blue color sections, four tiny bows are sequenced delicately down the vamp while a narrow ankle buckle strap, oval toe, and triangular heel maintain the shoe?s elegant silhouette.

Herman Delman, who specialized in building shoes that were chic, yet comfortable, believed that skilled construction was essential to the creation of a quality shoe. He also was keenly aware of the importance of style and employed several notable designers over the years, including Roger Vivier, Herbert Levine, and Kenneth Jay Lane, as a means of shaping not only the aesthetic of his company but also the tastes of fashionable women across the country. Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes will feature three decades of shoes designed by Roger Vivier, as well as a pair of circa 1965 white leather Mary Jane heels ornamented with multicolored embroidered flowers and conceived by Herbert Levine. Each of these examples represents the characteristic trends in women?s footwear that helped to define the fashion-conscious woman?s wardrobe.

Also on display, from Delman?s ?Moulin Rouge?collection, will be a pair of sling-back evening shoes that was featured in the company?s 1952 fall/winter line. Covered in bright red satin, these exquisitely designed shoes feature an open toe and draped vamp with peaked throat. A tall continental heel and halter-style buckle sling strap add to the luxurious craftsmanship of the shoes while simultaneously maintaining a high level of comfort.

Herman Delman?s savvy proficiency as a businessman and extroverted personality was frequently realized through his use of exquisitely illustrated advertisements and eye-catching window displays (the Delman store on Madison Avenue featured an oval window showcasing three cobblers at work), as well as his early understanding of the power of celebrity. His designs will forever be associated with iconic leading ladies of the Silver Screen. Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, and Marlene Dietrich all wore Delman, while today celebrities such as Anne Hathaway, Blake Lively, and Leighton Meester are often spotted wearing the company?s designs at premieres and in photographs.

Delman?s enterprising use of celebrity played an integral role in his effort to market his shoes as an expression of the poised and idealized woman. He would often release ready-made copies of designs that had been made exclusively for movie stars. Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes will include ready-to-wear copies of the shoes Queen Elizabeth wore to her 1953 coronation, as well as Delman?s circa 2000 reinterpretation of the design. Also on display will be a pair of evening sandals from circa 1958 designed after Irene Castle?s ?Scandal Sandal? dancing shoes. The metallic cord and leather detailing on the shoes beautifully complement the gold metallic high heel and make these evening shoes the perfect accessory for a night on the town.

Delman was also known for his custom-made shoe services. Among the shoes to be featured in the exhibition are a custom-made pair designed for Mrs. Carrie Munn. Married to a prominent publisher, Mrs. Munn opened her own dress shop on Madison Avenue in 1942 and was known for her extravagant parties at the Waldorf-Astoria. The surfaces of her closed-toe, velvet pumps, which are cleverly printed to resemble feathers, highlight her appreciation of fashion-forward design.

On view at The Museum at FIT from March 9 through April 3, 2010, Scandal Sandals and Lady Slippers: A History of Delman Shoes has been organized and curated by graduate students of FIT?s Fashion and Textile Studies: History, Theory, Museum Practice program.

The exhibition celebrates the 90th anniversary of Delman and marks the 25th anniversary of FIT?s Fashion and Textile Studies graduate program. In conjunction with the exhibition, students of the graduate program will offer a series of gallery tours, with each tour focusing on a specific theme within the context of the exhibition.

DELMAN

Delman?s timeless and classic shoes are found today at the country?s finest independent retailers, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as at http://www.Delmanshoes.com. Delman is a division of Nina Footwear Corp.

A FASHION MUSEUM

The Museum at FIT is the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, which have been described by Roberta Smith in The New York Times as ?ravishing,? the museum has a collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. Like other fashion museums, such as the Mus?e de la Mode, the Mode Museum, and the Museo de la Moda, The Museum at FIT collects, conserves, documents, exhibits, and interprets fashion. The museum?s mission is to advance knowledge of fashion through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Visit http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum.

The Museum is part of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a college of art and design, business and technology, educating more than 10,000 students annually. FIT is a college of the State University of New York (SUNY) and offers 44 majors leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, and MPS degrees. Visit http://www.fitnyc.edu.

The Couture Council is a membership group of fashion enthusiasts that helps support the exhibitions and programs of The Museum at FIT. The Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion is given annually to a selected designer at a benefit luncheon held in September. For information on the Couture Council, call 212 217.4532 or e-mail Couturecouncil(at)fitnyc(dot)edu

MUSEUM HOURS

Tuesday-Friday ? noon-8 pm, Saturday ? 10 am-5 pm

Closed Sunday, Monday, and legal holidays

Admission is free and open to the public.

http://www.fitnyc.edu/museum

Contact:

Cheri Fein

Executive Director of Public and Media Relations

212.217.4700; press(at)fitnyc(dot)edu

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