A Bright Future for Odd Future

With a beyond impressive list of performers at Coachella, the buzz everywhere I went was aimed at hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, or as you might have heard of them, simply Odd Future.

This pack of young either still in or fresh out of high school skateboarders hailing from Los Angeles are making huge waves in the music industry and are holding down the title of hip-hop’s latest phenomenon while gracing the cover of Billboard Magazine, being one of the most sought-after groups at SXSW, and even being recommended by ?uest Love to perform on "Jimmy Fallon".

At any given time, Odd Future is made up of about 11 members: the leader, Tyler the Creator and his little brother Earl Sweatshirt (who apparently cannot be in the group until he is of age and back from boarding school -- Mom's orders!) are two dominant voices; Syd tha Kyd is currently the only female member; then there are Hodgy Beats, Mike G, Domo Genesis, Left Brain, Frank Ocean, The Super 3, Jasper Dolphin, and Taco Bennett.

Although often being lumped under the genre of "horrorcore" for their dark, vivid, and disturbing lyrics, the group denies it, describing their music as cinematic, saying they make “soundtrack music”, and if you listen to any of their songs, it will sound like a movie from front to back. “It’s f***’in art,” says Tyler The Creator.

For a group that's been compared to the likes of Wu Tang Clan, Odd Future was underground for far too long, and now as they grow into super-stardom, we hope (but know) that we will continue to hear and see more from OFWGKTA as they each for greatness!

Odd Future will be touring the East Coast starting May 12 -- check out oddfuture.com if you want to join them on a night of moshing and tearing things up! And to get a peek at the goings-on in their heads, visit their blog: oddfuture.tumblr.com.

YH Celebrates 1 Year of Amazingness!

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Young Hollywood Studios at the Four Seasons, and I have to say, it’s been a phenomenal ride. I couldn’t be more pleased with how it has worked out and the success it has become. Here’s to many more years!

In honor of the milestone, I wanted to share with you all, my Top 5 favorite interviews so far. This endeavor couldn’t have become what it’s been if not for the exceptional talent we’ve had on our white couch. So, without much further ado, in no particular order:

1) DANE COOK – YH goes live! For the first time, YouTube presented live streaming footage, and we were honored to be a part of this technological breakthrough. And who better to have live (and uncensored) in the Studio than Dane Cook?

DANE COOK

2) TINIE TEMPAH – This British import is a superstar in the making, and he’s got loads of charm to boot. Check out the “Written In The Stars” singer’s visit and lesson in proper tea-drinking:

TINIE TEMPAH

3) JESSE EISENBERG – Right before he blew up in The Social Network, this incredibly talented actor was one of our earliest Studio guests, and I was so impressed with how smart and humble he is. We couldn’t be happier for his success!

JESSE EISENBERG

4) DREW BARRYMORE – Actress, director, producer… This gal has been there, done that, and she’s as amazing as ever. So easygoing and down to earth, when she first walked into our Studio, she said, “This is friggin’ awesome!” And so is she:

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5) NICOLAS CAGE – Here’s another guy that has been around forever, and has even won an Oscar, but he couldn’t have been nicer and more interesting when he came by the Studio with Jay Baruchel to chat about The Sorcerer’s Apprentice:

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That’s just a very small tip of an enormous iceberg, you guys. And it’s only going to get better. Thanks for taking the ride with us!

BlackBerry Aiming for the Top of the Tablet Game with the PlayBook

It hasn’t even been released to the public yet, but already the word on the street for the new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is outstanding. And since I am a guy who appreciates a great gadget, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one of them last week during the SXSW conference. All I can say is, get your touch-screen fingers ready for this tablet, guys!

Some of the PlayBook’s key features include: a 7” touch screen, up to 64 GB of memory (with 16 and 32 GB model options), dual front and rear facing cameras, HD video and audio playback, and the ability to run multiple apps simultaneously, making multi-tasking a breeze. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet also weighs less than a pound and is ultra thin, which means you can take it just about anywhere; it could easily fit in the front inside pocket of a man’s coat, or a woman's clutch purse!

The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet is hitting the streets April 19th, at prices as low as $499. To get a sneak peek of just how amazing this thing is, be sure to check out our exclusive SXSW coverage on the site!

Fig & Olive Brings Their Unique Tastes to L.A.

Who would have thought that you could design a concept for a restaurant specifically around extra virgin olive oil? Not me, but fortunately for the rest of us, Laurent Halasz, the founder of Fig & Olive, did just that, and with fantastic results.

Fig & Olive, which just opened in Melrose Place on Wednesday (March 2), boasts an impressive collection of over 30 different types of olive oil from varying regions (such as the south of France, Italy, and Spain) that encompass fruity, buttery, and peppery varietals as well as infused olive oils with truffles, lemon, and basil. Is your mouth watering yet?

Fig & Olive is such a unique concept it had to be successful. All of the details that go into choosing these specific EVOOs are used to create extraordinary and unforgettable dishes. After taking New York City by storm, Fig & Olive has finally branched out to the West Coast and spreading joy with every bite! I attended the opening on Wednesday, and the experience was way better than I could have expected. The event was put on by two of YH’s favorite people, EMC|Bowery's Ben Rousso and The Supper Club's Tamsin Lonsdale. Bending under lots of pressure, openings can sometimes go horribly wrong with unpreparedness and so-so food, but Fig & Olive nailed it, I can only imagine how even better it will be over time.

Let me take a moment to mention the decor -- it was amazing. As soon as you walk in, you feel as if you are stepping into a warm and intimate setting in the Mediterranean (exactly what they were going for). After walking into the smell of rosemary and olive trees, there is a display of their olive oils and a long white marble communal table with a tasting bar, a great place for getting to know other people during a fine dining experience. Even the smoking patio was the coolest I have ever seen. The main dining room is separate and has a view of the open kitchen, so you can get a first-hand view of the talents of Chef Pascal Lorange people. I had the most pleasant experience, and hats go off to General Manager Hardeep Birdi for making sure everything ran so smoothly.

All in all, Fig & Olive is sure to be the next best thing to hit L.A.’s culinary scene. I look forward to the next time and encourage anyone looking for a unique dining experience to give it a try. You wont be sorry!

Trevor Bayne Races to the Top

When your Twitter followers go from 6,000 to 31,000 in two days, you probably just did something pretty awesome. For 20-year-old Trevor Bayne, that something would be becoming the most recent (and youngest) winner of the “Great American Race,” AKA the Daytona 500.

He has been on the go ever since, but the champion driver managed to stay stationary long enough for a recent pit stop at the YH Studio. Following the lead of his childhood idol, Jeff Gordon, Trevor has become the youngest driver to win the title. He once carried a Jeff Gordon lunchbox around as a kid, but we will not be surprised if this Knoxville, Tennessee native's face soon ends up on a lunchbox of his own.

Trevor filled the Studio with his winner’s glow and the huge championship ring he is proudly rocking. And after those 500 miles (which adds up to 200 laps), it’s no wonder Trevor still feels like he is going in circles. He has practically become a celebrity overnight, to the point where none other than Pamela Anderson interrupted his phone conversation with friend and NFL Quarterback Tim Tebow for an introduction. Although he has accomplished quite the feat by being the second person to win Dayton on the first try, Trevor exudes humbleness good old Southern charm, appreciating host Jessica Smith's referring to her grandparents as “mamaw and papaw,” as well as finding it complimentary that her mother and grandmother are newly found “Cougars” and have the "Tennessee Hots" for him.

Trevor describes his accomplishments as “the craziest moment of my life,” and we can't help but suspect that he is destined for more winner’s glory.

Check out our interview with Trevor below, and look out for number 21!

Get Your Hands (and Pinkies) in the Air for Brit sensation Tinie Tempah!

There must be something in the water on the other side of the Atlantic, because the rate at which talented musicians are coming out of the U.K. is mind-blowing, and I can't see that changing any time soon.

22-year-old Tinie Tempah is the latest British phenom, hailing from South London, and he is a force with a microphone. It is not easy to picture him without one, although he is known to hold a mean cup of tea too (pinkies up, of course)! Tempah has definitely come out on top to secure his hold on the world of hip-hop music.

Since the premiere of his debut album Disc-Overy, and his first two singles “Pass Out” and “Frisky”, Tinie has collected multiple music awards, including two MOBO Awards (Music of Black Origin), four Urban Music Awards, and two Brit Awards (for Best Breakthrough Act and Best Single), which is not a bad start at all. Tinie is quickly becoming a familiar name, with a musical strategy to write in a familiar and relatable context. Tinie is determined to keep it at the next level, making sure his music stays relevant with the current generation and the world we're living in. He doesn’t even use a pen to write his lyrics -- according to him, “That is so '90s.” I guess it is true; people these days seem to text faster than they write anyway.

Tinie is on his way to fulfill his mission of making timeless music and aspiring to be “the voice of our culture." If he is talented enough to bring Prince William out to his shows, then he is fully capable of making his desired impact on the industry. After Tinie filled the Studio with his British charm and words of inspiration to live the dream, the thought of his inevitable success in the U.S. and around the world left me confident that I won't be seeing the last of him. He is poised to be a superstar and a well-known name here in America.

Check out my interview with Tinie in the Studio to find out who his fellow musically-inclined friends of the U.K. are and how to properly make a "cuppa" tea, Tinie Tempah style:

Alex Pettyfer: From "Number Four" to Number One in the Near Future

Recently, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Alex Pettyfer in the YH Studio, and I have to say, although he plays Number Four in his new film, I Am Number Four, he is surely going to rank high amongst the Number Ones in Hollywood.

U.K.-born Alex comes from a family of entertainers, with his father being an actor and his mother a model; his half-brother James is a top-ranked tennis player (an entertainer of sorts!). Alex began his career as a child model doing commercials before he was discovered by Ralph Lauren himself at only 8 years old! (His mother threw away Lauren's card, and it wasn’t until later in life when Alex realized who it had actually belonged to.)

Pettyfer began acting at 15 and gained popularity by scoring the lead role in the British film Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, co-starring with heavyweights like Ewan McGregor, Mickey Rourke, and Alicia Silverstone.  But he nearly missed his big break. As director DJ Caruso relayed to us, Alex walked out of the audition for I Am Number Four before he even spoke a word of of his script, standing up and declaring, “Don’t worry, I’m not right for this.” With encouragement to come back, Alex was called in two weeks later for a screen test, and before you know it, Steven Spielberg gave him the go, and the rest is history. Alex even performed 98% of the stunts and lived to tell about it. I Am Number Four is now in theatres and hit number two at the box office in its opening weekend. Go check it out!

With turning 21 on the horizon, Alex has two other major films set to hit theaters soon, including Beastly, which is modern twist on the classic "Beauty and the Beast" tale, which also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Neil Patrick Harris. Also on the slate, another  sci-fi flick, Now, which features Justin Timberlake, Oliva Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, and Cillian Murphy. He also admits to dabbling in producing because it appeals to his "control freak side"; it makes sense, as we watch the control he has over his career as it takes off.

Check out my interview with Alex below and see just how he and his nerves are adjusting to celebrity!