Should Altadena & South Pasadena merge with Pasadena? Cast Your Vote Today!

As the industrial age comes to a close and year 2000 babies become adults, a new generation of thinkers arise from our communities. Since the late 1880’s, Altadena, Pasadena, and South Pasadena have developed their own sense of character and esteemed heritage.

We’ve recently asked the Pasadena community if they’d be open to such a change. And a lot of more than half of them said “No”. After the initial response we received, we believe that Altadenans, Pasadenans, and South Pasadenans more or less agree on each city keeping their own identity. But, the young minds of today challenge that tradition with a simple question. Should Altadena & South Pasadena be Incorporated into one Pasadena?

Cast your vote below and feel free to explain why you feel it would or would not be a good idea. At this time, there is no commissioned initiative to change these cities. This is strictly for discussion purposes and to encourage community engagement.

Rose Robinson opens up about Life in Pasadena, Her Father’s Legacy, and Overcoming Cancer through Obamacare

Rose Robinson, youngest daughter of Olympian & Silver Medalist Mack Robinson, opens up about Life in Pasadena, Her Father’s Legacy, and Overcoming Cancer through Obamacare.

Rose was going to have her tonsils removed when she received news that she had cancer. Shortly after receiving Obamacare, her insurance covered treatment. And through her recovery, Rose wrote a beautiful song to President Barack Obama thanking him for blessing her with Obamacare and giving her a 2nd chance at life.

Rose wrote a letter to President Obama and he responded with a message of encouragement. Rose is now looking to shop her song around and share the inspiration she’s received with other cancer patients.

Listen to the exclusive interview to hear her compelling story and beautiful song entitled “Thank You President Obama”. Follow Rose on Instagram to keep up with her latest updates.

Pasadena Hip Hop Pioneer ‘Paco Swartz’ talks Music, His Detroit Roots, and How He’s Managed to Stay focused through Adversity…

Today’s local music scene in Pasadena, California is alive and well. Mistah Wilson caught up with

Download This Interview

Pasadena Hip Hop pioneer Paco Swartz for an exclusive interview about Music, His Detroit Roots, and How He’s Managed to Stay focused through Adversity. In this interview, Paco touches on how his spot was the ‘dojo’ for a lot of the Pasadena artists from his generation. Giving Glory to God for still being here, Swartz also speaks on growing up in Pasadena and attending Washington Middle School. Paco mentions the adverse conditions of students who attended Washington Middle School, or the “Thunder Dome” in comparison to schools in different districts who didn’t have that obstacle.

Paco Swartz pays homage by crediting Pasadena rapper GrinCH for taking him under his wing and encouraging him to play sports as oppose to getting caught up with the streets. Paco reveals that he is “classically” trained in music when singing, arranging, and performing. He learned from popular opera singer Versie Mae Richardson who ran the Boys Choir at Alkebu-lan Cultural Center. Paco honors Versie Mae for being a great influence on his life.

Paco describes his work with Pasadena Vet G Laf on his latest project and how they go all the way back to the Boys Club. He also talks about working with artists like Mike Towns, S Claz, Black Santa, Hardway, Riko DENAro, Tone Grizzard, Harold Blu, and a whole lot more. Paco talks about how he and Pasadena artist Noy grew up in the same neighborhood and the latest update on “Da League”, a group consisting of Paco Swartz, Ethan Avery, & 12 Sinatra.

What makes this interview special is the fact that Paco is a true product of Pasadena. Many Pasadena artists of today are people Paco went to school with. And a lot of them you actually see on the forefront of the scene.

In this exclusive interview with Paco Swartz, we drop
“Wake Up” by Paco Swartz ft. Tommy Bunnz
“Energy” by Paco Swartz”
“Can’t Let Go” by Paco Swartz ft. Kampaign
“Shots Rang” by Paco Swartz

3 Pasadena-based Clothing Brands that Represent the City’s True Essence

Ask around. Pasadena, California is the place ‘you want to live’ if you’re in Los Angeles County or Southern California. It’s location sets it apart from any other city. Even Altadena and South Pasadena feel different. As the generations came and went, traditions were born and leaders were made. Today, the pride & culture surrounding the Pasadena / Altadena area is very strong and tight-knit. It’s like Compton. Everybody knows everybody. And for those who don’t, they still know somebody who knows somebody who knows everybody.

There are a lot of things that make people fall in love with Pasadena. Although everyone has their own reasons why they love the city, there’s one common thing that gives natives a sense of belonging. DENA. Quiet as kept, Pasadena has birthed great people. From Jackie Robinson to Michael Cooper. Van Halen. It has also been a place where greats have established themselves like famous R&B singer Teena Marie. On today’s scene, the artists and entrepreneurs of Generation X and Y have their own businesses and brands that represent the true essence of life in Pasadena / Altadena. And we’ve taken the initiative in listing 3 unique & local clothing brands that currently represent Pasadena / Altadena culture in it’s truest form.

Obvious Giant – The parent company of DENABOY / DENAGIRL, Obvious Giant is a clothing company owned & operated by Dale Mario, Otto Evans, and Eric Wilson. Since 2008,

Pasadena Artist & Entertainer Zoneiak McGee

OG has been the premiere clothing brand in the streets of Pasadena / Altadena being worn by local rappers and musicians at popular events which include the Yardnic & Nic@Nite. The brand helped create a unifying bond between Pasadena and Altadena, considering everyone went to school together. Obvious Giant has been one of the biggest local clothing brands worn by actual natives of Pasadena / Altadena over the past 10 years. You can see their gear in many local music videos, promotional footage, and events. The makers of this brand are products of Pasadena / Altadena making it one of thee top most authentic apparel lines in the city. You can find Obvious Giant (DENABOY/DENAGIRL) by visiting Dorothy’s Boutique at 2057 N Los Robles Ave #11, Pasadena, CA 91104 or Call (626) 817-9777

Pasadena-ish – Created by G Marcus, Pasadena-ish (“ish” standing for ‘I Stay Hustling’) rooted in 2013 and has since grown into a well known local clothing brand. Pasadena-ish has made

Master P (left) & G Marcus (right)

appearances in a lot of local music videos and has even been seen worn on models & porn stars 😉 . One thing that makes this brand different is the diversity in types of clothing. In fact, Pasadena-ish can be seen more on pants, beanies, and undergarments than T-Shirts. Pasadena-ish has been very well received by the younger Pasadena generation and embraced citywide. This clothing brand represents a generation’s perspective and artistic expression. Currently, Pasadena-ish is predominantly promoted on Instagram. Follow @pasadenaish_i_stay_hustlin to get in contact with G Marcus for orders.

 

We Are Born and Raised – A graduate of John Muir High School, We Are Born & Raised clothing company was created by Eric Williams of Altadena as a way to strengthen pride

& culture around cities that people grew up in. The cool thing about this brand is that it started in DENA but reaches to virtually any city you can think of. The brand essentially gives customers a way to sport their own city with the We Are Born and Raised design. Williams also has variant themes like Just A Kid from… and You can see his gallery and order your very own We Are Born and Raised gear on their official website.

Free Artist Photo Shoot @ McDonald Park in Pasadena, CA 10/28

If you’re an artist in or around Los Angeles/Southern California and are looking for a movement to join that will expand your network and presence, Tha DENA Music Scene, formerly known as the Pasadena Music Scene, is hosting an informal, free photo shoot for local, native, independent artists at McDonald Park in Pasadena, CA on Friday October 28th, 2016 from 12p-2p. 

This shoot is tha first of many to come each month as Bing Bing is working vigorously to unite tha local music scene in tha Pasadena / Altadena region. It is called the #BringingItTogether Free Artist Photo Shoot where local artists come together to take formal pictures with other artists demonstrating values of love, peace, & unity. By doing this, we are taking control of our artistic destinies and using our influence for tha greater good of ourselves and our community.

By having artists take photos together demonstrating honorable values, we can influence our future in a positive way. We must understand that WE have tha power to make it happen. The #BringingItTogether movement was created shortly after tha implementation of tha formal music scene (Tha DENA Music Scene) in Pasadena that encouraged artists from different circles and genres to come together and demonstrate a unity.

Artists who participate will receive:

1. One Professional Portrait of themselves.
2. Publicity in Magazines, Blogs, Forums, Website, Social Media, and Word of Mouth.
3. A formal Certificate of Recognition that states you are recognized by your local music scene. This is what we create as an alternative to tha commercial scene to provide ourselves with a platform to grow.
4. One free exclusive audio/article interview for publication.
5. Free food!

According to Mistah Wilson, many DENA rappers are still reluctant to join tha local music scene movement. As a result of this, tha Pasadena Music Scene and Pasadena Hip Hop Scene are now consolidated into Tha DENA Music Scene hoping to encourage more DENA artists to participate. “We need our DENA rappers especially to know that there are little to no resources or entities out there that cater to our exclusive type of demographic genre,” exclaims Mistah Wilson. “That is why we are here. To revive & preserve local urban culture.” 

Artists that are not originally from tha Pasadena / Altadena region are still highly encouraged to attend and participate in tha #BringingItTogether movement. You will join an ever-growing network with no financial dues or requirements and you will be formally recognized by your local music scene. Come meet cool, new artists while building your portfolio at tha same time!

Questions or Comments

Call (626)586-4440