What would happen if you remade the Matrix in the ghetto, cast a rapper from Yonkers, NY as Neo, Large Professor as Morpheus, and 8—> Peter Vallone Jr as Agent Smith, manned the Nebuchadnezzar with the best graffiti writers in New York City armed with high-powered lasers and then set the whole thing in the true Zion: the County of Kings, Brooklyn, New York?

It would probably go a little somethin’ like this:

You know the Oracle is the GRL…

To roll the vid at a baller’s resolution click here and here.

Check out this tutorial on how to build your own cheap, portable and hood-style bullet time camera rig on the cheap and the fly. Designed by the GRL and director Dan the Man for a hip-hop music video for underground rappers Styles P, AZ and the legendary Large Professor, the Ghetto Matrix is just another chapter in the GRL’s continuing mission to make open source the sixth element of hip-hop.

For more photos from inside the Ghetto Matrix click here.
Learn how to make your own DIY bullet-time camera rig here.
For our shout-outs and props to everyone who inspired and contributed to this project go here and here.

Graffiti Research Lab uniforms are here! G.R.L. has teamed up with the Bronx-based Gold Bricker Society (GBS) and the US Airforce to bring you these hand-screened limited edition G.R.L. eagle T’s. G.R.L. uniforms are printed on Alternative Apparel Basic Crew shirts, free from both labor abuse and kiddie porn adverts. 95 cents of each dollar spent on G.R.L. T’s goes directly toward making Petey Vallone. Jr pissed and miserable.

NO MORE!

If you’d like to make your own GRL silk screen or stencil here are the files you’ll need to get started:

– grl_logo.eps
– grl_logo.png

8–> more on Vallone Jr.

AWAKE SLEEPERS AND RISE UP!

Graffiti writers, hackers, pranksters, nerds, thugs, glue sniffers, knitters, cubicle warriors, failed shoe-bombers and all assorted plebes join us in the fight to have fun in public. Do not call now! Do not send us money. Simply lower your expectations for a moment and read HOW TO START YOUR OWN GRAFFITI RESEARCH LAB, then get a URL, set the background color to #000000 and tear your city apart.

8—>HOW TO START YOUR OWN GRAFFITI RESEARCH LAB.

We’re not Triads. We’re not Al-Qaeda. We’re just a mass of kids running around Hong Kong in SUVs with much gear and lasers listening to Cantonese Hip Hop. What do you have to fear?

November 14th, 2007 the GRL goes to Hong Kong China Hong Kong for the Microwave Festival, meets MC Yan, eats well, buys military surplus in Mong Kok, makes history.

街é?“画研究实验室将带 L.A.S.E.R Tag æ?¥å?‚加
香港的微波新媒介艺术节 (Microwave New Media Art Festival). 街é?“画研究实验室将在2007å¹´11月17 日和18 沿ä¹?龙和港岛的港å?£ç”¨æ¿€å…‰è½°ç‚¸æœ‰è¶£çš„目标。街é?“画研究实验室将å…?许香港的任一个街é?“画作家或普通的公民使用60微瓦特激光, 1800瓦特的音å“?和一个大投影机æ?¥
自由(FREELY)公开地谈论登广告者,公å?¸å’Œæ”¿åºœçš„规模。如果您是街é?“画作家ã€?活动家ã€?黑客ã€?DJ ã€?B男孩或MC (或为任何东西), 请è?”络街é?“画研究实验室。
为了解更多请点击这里。

The Graffiti Research Lab is bringing L.A.S.E.R. Tag to Hong Kong for the Microwave New Media Art Festival. The G.R.L. will be laser-bombing targets of interest along the harbor fronts of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island on the 17th and 18th of November, 2007. The L.A.S.E.R. Tag unit will allow any graffiti writer or ordinary citizen of Hong Kong to FREELY speak their mind in public on the scale of advertisers, corporations and governments using a 60 milliwatt laser, 1800 watts of audio and a big-ass projector. If you are a graffiti writer, activist, hacker, DJ, B-boy or MC (or just up for anything) contact the G.R.L.

UPDATE: special guest appearances by MC YAN and Graphic Airlines on the 17th and 18th respectively.

For more info on the events click here.

Many many thanks to everyone that came out to support Mike at the 2ESAE fundraiser. With your help we were able to raise $3,000, a huge step towards getting Mike a lawyer and giving him a chance to defend himself. A lot of people went home happy with fresh canvases, custom shirts, and blackbooks blessed by NYC’s finest. Thanks to Eyebeam for providing the space. Thanks to all the performers: Large Pro, Jamie Dubs, Jak Danielz + Johnny Walker, Craig G, and SR, as well as the b-boys and b-girls who were hitting the concrete all night long.

More photos up here and here

(Created with flickrSLiDR.)

mp3s of all the performances:
[audio:http://fffff.at/audio/JamieDubsLive.mp3] — Jamie Dubs
[audio:http://fffff.at/audio/LargeProLive.mp3] — Large Pro
[audio:http://fffff.at/audio/JakDanielzLive.mp3] — Jak Danielz + Johnny Walker feat. Craig G and SR

But its not over yet.

Mike is locked up at Rikers for the next three months, and faces another trial while still incarcerated. If you know of a good lawyer who would be willing to take on Mike’s case, please contact evan[at]fffff.at.

Don’t forget about your boy while he’s gone. Please send letters, flicks, books, respect, and love to the address below. A page describing all the shit you can’t send to inmates can be perused here.

Michael Baca (B&C: 1410720441)
1600 Hazen St.
East Elmhurst, NY, 11370

Stay posted for updates, and pour some out for your homie 2ESAE.

Tonight, 6-9pm at 540 W. 21st Street, NYC

2ESAE, Large Pro, rappers, lasers, artwork, clothing, shit talking, and more…

THIS MONDAY 6-9PM @ Eyebeam

Mike Baca / 2ESAE – Solo Show and Fundraiser
Special guest performance by Large Professor
L.A.S.E.R. Tag after-party
October 22nd, 2007, 6:00-9:00PM
@Eyebeam
540 West 21st Street
New York, New York
Free