I had to really push myself to get out and pop tags this week. Actually, I’ll rephrase, I had to really push myself to get out and buy t-shirts this week. If it weren’t for the fact that the Browns are playing during prime time tonight and I only get to say that once every 5-10 years, I may have taken Sunday afternoon off for the NFL. Satisfying our loyal reader(s) and keeping the new content flowing is top priority around here at Xplosive World, but due to excessive humidity, spending ridiculous amounts of $$$ to pop tags in order to have “proper attire” for fashion week parties and exhaustion relating to aforementioned parties was almost enough rationale to try to break the tee-a-week goal.

I’m definitely glad I got out because this week took me to Dave’s Quality Meat on East 3rd in Manhattan. I had to put some emphasis on the fact that DQM resides on a “number street”, as this is kind of rare for the streetwear shop in the area, and being someone that resides in the “20’s section” of these “number streets”- I’m claiming this joint as my local shop.

DQM was just an all around cool store. I was feeling the vibe the minute I walked in and heard “Receipt” from Lil Wayne’s Carter II disc- just because that’s a track that never got much commercial push, so I don’t really expect to hear it much if I’m not controlling the playlist. What also stood out from the jump was how well-rounded the store was with good varieties of tees, hoodies, kicks, etc.

I was feeling the tee selection from DQM so much, I had to double up this week. One reason for the double feature is because of the color variations at the store that I’ve been searching for week after week. I finally found a solid design on a navy tee and complemented it with a dark brown piece that actually looked better in white with a gold print, but I wanted to go with the one I’d wear.

Another reason I’m posting 2 joints this week is because I’ll be on the road next week watching QP wreck the stage at the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards in Cleveland- and due to my familiarity with the area, I’m already aware of the difficulty in finding a local streetwear brand to report on. I’ve got some ideas, so I won’t rule anything out, but don’t be jockin’ me if I’m MIA.

BRAND: Dave’s Quality Meat
LOCATION: 7 East 3rd St., NYC
PRICE: $28/each