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Most of these events were free. Drinks were cheap. Free tacos abounded. For such a chance to see major hip hop stars, and hungry up and coming acts, up close and personal, it seemed at times as if all of Texas came out.
But it wasn’t all about the big names. Aside from more well-known organizations and artists, I kept tabs on several unofficial events, and while these were usually much smaller, the energy at times was no less palpable than those larger events (with less need to constantly jostle for position.)… (which means more chances to go get a drink without losing your spot.)
Case in point: Jesse Abraham and PremRock, two artists heavily active in the New York City underground hip hop scene, organized a somewhat last minute showcase at Empire Garage, an outdoor performance space at what was seemingly a large, emptied out automobile repair garage. Along with producer Willie Green and DJ Sosa, the Skill or be Skilled showcase let loose a flurry of energetic and entertaining acts, including others from the NY-area like Rebel Diaz, Crosby, the highly animated dynamic duo Mohammad Dangerfield, Eagle Nebula and the rock-rap of Brooklyn’s gloriously rambunctious Shinobi Ninja.
The showcase was loosely promoted, but the audience slowly filled with stragglers from the strip, pulled in by the infectious energy of the space. A show that began with a faltering sound system and a handful of attendees ended up carrying on for six hours, long past the expected curfew. Furious freestyles, Green pounding living, breathing beats out of his MPC into the wee hours of the morning under a warm night sky, two turntables and a couple of mics, and party people.
Tell me that’s not pure hip hop.
Add to this my random encounters with bluegrass groups on random corners, Crosby’s Hip Hop Howl showcase, with a couple dozen excellent acts, random discoveries of new artists I’d never heard of, but now want to hear more of and running into a New York head who I knew, staging mini-reunions all weekend, and my journalistic endeavor was often punctuated by a wash of musical euphoria, the kind that drives me to write this, and the kind that drives you to read this.