I sincerely apologize for the delay.
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I am going to give you all the good and bad. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT!
* LET'S START WITH THE GHOOD...... * Thank you to everyone that came out and helped to make the 2nd ITSBALTIMOREBABY! LIVE showcase a success! The sophomore jinx are always a nerve racking experience regardless of the situation, but I think with shows.... it's worse. I was really nervous going into the evening. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the first show would be nothing short of amazing!!!! AFTERWARDS I KEPT THINKING, "PERHAPS I SET THE BAR TOO HIGH FOR MYSELF"...LOL! There were so many KNOWN heavy hitters together on one card! I knew in my heart of hearts that this show would be more of mystery bag for the general public. So for that reason.....I want to say publicly from the bottom of my heart ..... I truly do appreciate those people that came out to see what I was offering. That is LOVE! That is progress!!! *
Now that it's over I can tell you the truth! THE WEEK LEADING UP TO AND LAST NIGHT WERE CRAZY!!!! So many things were going on behind the scenes that really messed with my sanity, but I feel so great knowing that I didn't completely break down. *
drum roll please........... Big Ups to the entire IBB staff!!! Yall worked yall butts off!
Special shout out to the newest and proving to be most essential member of the operation, IKE FROM MYSPACE/HEADNOD ENTERTAINMENT
It takes a highly organized and evolved individual to corral all the egos, outlandish issues and dilemmas that come into play when trying to put on a show. This person has to be friendly, but firm, understanding of the idiosyncrasies of the "performing" types, able to tell people HELL TO THE NAW and very, very conscious of the time constraints we are generally under when you have 4-6 acts to fit into a 2 hour time frame. 4-6 people who ALL feel like the crowd is there for them SPECIFICALLY and they should receive the "optimal" time slot of the evening (NEVER MIND THE FACT THAT THEY DIDN'T PROMOTE THE SHOW TO ANYONE).
Just so you know.....Optimal means BEST, most ideal, most desirable, etc.
Ike kept the evening running smoothly with not one but 3-schedule contingency plans...LOL! We took it to the wire, but we did not go over. I know that beyond a shadow of a doubt that we have the right man in the stage manager position.
* Thanks Mama Love and Jayson for holding me down! Thanks for having my back!
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Thank you Ebony for doing such a great job of keeping the people informed of the bidnis throughout the night. I am not sure what I would do if I didn't have you to put out some of the fires the ALWAYS seem to inadvertently flare up throughout the evening. AND....I really loved our T-Shirts....YOU HAVE GREAT TASTE!!!!
Speaking of T Shirts: BIG UPS TO THE HORSEMEN ENTERTAINMENT!!!! AND D.O.T SPORTS!!!! Yall did it again! The love that you've both shown me in the short amount of time that we've known each other is so so so so appreciated!!! If ever you need a helping hand...please do not hesitate to ask. I LOVE purple (FYI to anyone out there that wants to buy me a gift...LOL!) and I was already planning to rock my yellow grown woman shoes....LOL! It worked out perfectly. I said it earlier this week when I re-posted one of BJ's poignant MYSPACE bulletins, but I'll say it again....make sure you go and hollar at these guys for all of your airbrushing needs. Fast work, affordable prices and really great designs - what else do you want?. They are located at the Security Mall in WOODLAWN (just before you enter the Seoul Plaza-mall entrance). You can find D.O.T. Sports out at the Patapsco Flea Market every weekend. They do great custom silk screen and heat press work ...for great prices.
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Thank you DNA and the entire Roundtable Entertainment Company!!! You all really helped to pull everything together last night. DNA really didn't get to play many records this night.....LOL! Come to think of it....Ebony & I didn't do to much talking either. The show was literally back to back to back! Special shout out to KD, Tony (& Tony's brother...LOL! How do I keep forgetting his name), Leslie (Thank you for making the chicken wings. I didn't get any but i am sure they were delish) and crew (sorry .....I cannot remember everyone's name).
We got the evening started with one of the dynamic artists who performed at the "A Baltimore Love Thing" held at the 5 Seasons a few weeks ago! ONLY was the night's opener and IMO proved why he deserves our serious consideration. He really "Got It In"...LOL! (please, check out his MYSPACE page). Thanks ONLY for making me proud. He really did a great job of getting the crowd warmed up and ready for the night's other featured performers. I plan to give more newcomers slots at future shows. Thanks for not letting me down and thanks for bringing all the energy!
Next up was Mully...who ALWAYS gets the crowd amped up! One of Mully's greatest strengths is his performance. Not many people can mess with him when it comes to gettin an audience to open up and really give him their precious undivided attention. His beats selections were on point and people are still talking about the old school medley (I forget the actual name of the song) he performed near the end of his set. That ish was hot! In case you missed the show, you can listen to it on his newest release "Still H.I.M." Big Ups to A-Mills and DJ Gemini (who's sistah Lisa Mack has a bagin azz new CD)!
I don't care what card he is on...he is always going to bring them out! I really don't think people get tired of seeing him. As someone pointed out to me yesterday..."ITS THAT SMILE". All I can say is...SKARR AKBAR is a major problem. Message to all MCs....he is currently the "gold standard" in my book. He is making all the right moves....take notes. FANS (YES! The boy has them! One girl stayed on my heels all night long because she wanted one of the IBB posters off the Sonar walls): Please continue to be so GREAT! He needs you all SO MUCH and its obvious that he recognizes the role that each of you plays in his growing popularity. It has been a long time coming. What was supposed to be a "shortened" set...LOL! turned into a wild ride through Skarr's expansive musical catalog. Jefferson Jackson Steele (one of the City Paper's awesome photographers) was all up in his grill! I KNOW that he took some awesome pictures!!! Skarr is one of those performers that really interacts with the crowds....pauses for reactions....knows when he needs to engage in a call and response and knows how to show love to his female following (who by the way always seem to make it to the front row...LOL!) I swear....I am going to make Skarr the "House Band"...LOL! I'm tryna figure out a way to bring him back again....mmmmmh! what would I call it. "Featuring" and "Encore" have already been used...LOL! hold tight! I'm not going to say just yet cause there are a LOT of copy cats out here and it never fails that whenever I say something ....out of no where it becomes part of the collective vocabulary. STOP JOCKIN PEOPLE! Hip Hop's hallmark used to be originality. What happened? A person should never be able to tell EXACTLY where you jacked a saying, mannerism or point of view. WOW! note to self: I think this is why I hate mixtapes. Skarr, you are such a pleasure to work with!
After an intermission, Jeneba Suma performed what can only be described as a one woman stage play.....LOL! My hat goes off to the band and sound guy who definitely earned their money on this night. Between setting up with only a few feet separating them and LITERALLY the edge of the stage.... a curtain hanging just above their heads while setting up drums sets, guitars, key boards, additional mics....and 8 ADDITIONAL "stage hands" on stage.....I don't know how they did it without cussing ONE person out. That was a true mark of professionalism and really showed me a thing or two about working under pressure. Once everything was set up......Ms. Suma proceeded to wow the people with a combination of powerful voice, flair for the dramatic and shocking originality. Someone commented to me that they will "never ever forget that pink hat" I won't either. Backed by a band, she performed a rousing rendition of Knarls Barkley's "CRAZY", the Bang N Beat produced, "...in my skin" and finished up with some good ole house music. It was off the hook! I wish that someone else could describe what they saw because my mind was totally somewhere else during the time period (there is so much that goes on behind the scenes! - Im sorry I keep saying that!). I was really happy that I had the opportunity to bring her in front of a totally different audience. This was a wild set!!! I am so very very very sorry you missed it! The Look on Mike Mc Intosh's face - PRICELESS!
Congrats to Don Brody on a very festive mixtape release event. The T shirts with the GREEN FOIL ARE HOT!!! I WANT ONE!!! I hope that people really take the opportunity to connect with him. He definitely brings something refreshing to the game and offers exposure outside of the 410 (he is from Philly). This was my first time seeing him perform and I must say I was impressed. For you to get "Street Jeopardy" to sound as good live as it does on the CD obviously took a lot of work. That is not an easy song to deliver. That third verse is particularly tricky with all the back to back rhyming works and the overall way you chose to ride the beat. Big Ups to the Akira the Great (Beat Game) for that one! Special shout out to P-Cutta and Ryan Banks! Thanks for coming through! I think Bmore definitely made an impression last night. So many ppl from out of town come here with preconceived notions of how we get down in Bmore. I hope we proved that we are a problem...maybe now you'll start putting some Bmore ish on your mixtapes!
Last, but certainly not least was Golden Seal (accompanied by DJ Boo Man). The ladies did an excpetional job and really proved why they are continually asked to come and perform at people's shows. Ogun and OOH of Brown F.I.S.H. (2 performers from the inaugural IBB showcase) each performed a song with the ladies too. "Sistah's Pimpin" (what you know about.... [that]?) is one of my favorite GS songs.....I always love to see them perform this song. Plus...I can relate to the sentiments (as explained to the crowd prior to them starting - THANKFULLY!)...and that always makes for a great listening experience. THANK YOU OOH for the T Shirt! I will cherish it forever. My T-shirt game is SO SERIOUS!!!
As many of you probably noted or have been told, Backland did not perform. I do apologize for not making a formal announcement. As many of you know, he was injured in a near fatal car accident (about a year and a half ago) and as a result wears a prosthetic leg. Due to a recent recall (manufacturer defects), his limb had to be replaced. Because he was not at his confident BEST, it was decided that he would not perform at this time. In retrospect....the whole set up of the Sonar Club Room stage would have posed considerable difficulty for him even under "desirable" conditions.
He has assured me that he will be back in business (FO REAL!) in a short time and when he is 100% ready ITSBALTIMOREBABY! LIVE will be his first stop. Please join me in letting Backland know that Baltimore supports him during every stretch of his arduous journey to recovery. HIT HIM UP ON MYSPACE.
It was my hope that he would have been able to take up residence in the lounge at some point in the evening, but as the evening progressed I honestly lost track of following up with that portion of the show. Big Ups to the entire Charm City Records family who were MOST DEFINITELY in the building giving away FREE copies of Backland's new mixtape. If you did not get one and would like one, please let me know. I have plenty!!!!
With every show...I get better at giving them. I know that I was born with talent, but life and experience will make me a star (I can’t quite figure out how all these performers think they are soooo good at rocking a live audience…YET they hardly ever do them – mmmmh go figure!). Giving shows is such a stressful experience. Couple that with the fact that I am not a performing artists nor do I provide any artists related services ......and perhaps you can see why after every show (EVEN GOOD ONES)....I want to heck with it. Life would be so simple to just settle back into a nice predictible routine that doesn't involve sooooo many other people, BUT.....something keeps calling me back (I can so related to Chingy right now). I often wonder ....is it the challenge of making something happen or perhaps doing something that so many others think is impossible?.....it DAGGONE sure ain't the coins. * THANK You to everyone that gives me any kind of feedback. It helps me to make sense of what I am doing and it is the only way that I can make things better. * There were so many Very Important People in the place to be....THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU THAT CAME OUT! ESPECIALLY those of you that stayed until the end. Special shout out to:Jess Harvell and Jefferson Jackson Steele of the City Paper. JH's willingness to stick around to the end of the show was a true testament to his interest in the Baltimore music scene and artists that are laying the foundation for the current incarnation. That was love!!! I know that if he was not interested....he could have very well wrote some cookie cutter review and called it a day, but he stuck around and checked out everyone. I can't wait to read his assessment (good and bad...LOL!) Like I stated earlier....the photographer got what I know were some GREAT shots...I can't wait for this Wednesday's paper. BMORE! make sure you grab one or two this week. Sound Recorder (when I get home...I will edit and include his name) - Thank you so much for coming out! I am so very excited about what you are doing. The entire night's show was recorded and snippets will undoubtedly be included on the next ITSBALTIMOREBABY! mixtape. Speaking of MIXTAPES....I recieved all of 0 new songs for the mixtape. I posted on here at the end of August that I was accepting submissions and I got nothing. If you are interested in being featured on the mixtape...I need you to send me music ASAP. Send me an e-mail at synergizehiphop@yahoo.com if you need more information. * Al Shipley - Its always very cool to see you! I hope you enjoyed the show. Ms. "Mississippi" - Thanks for the love! I hope that if you are ever in Bmore again that you will look me up! Unreality Entertainment (HGE and Unreal) - please keep me posted about the release date. Arabs - I seench yall! Ms. Tris Beats & Keebe - HEY LADIES!!! Taz (Unstoppable Knuckleheads) - sorry I didn't get to talk to you. I was so stressed...LOL! Shellbe Raw - Thank you for the text message prior to the event. I am often "online" (technically), but may not be at my computer. It was nice to see you out and about! Please keep me posted about your mixtape release date. We have got to get you on a show very soon! ARS (Mike Mc Intosh and Niige) - Thank you both for coming out and supporting. I feel so honored that Mike Mc has come to 2 of my shows in a row. That if nothing else tells me that I am doing something right...LOL! Yall just don't even know! No other indicators ring as true as seeing you! Rollie Fingers - Hey boo! My T-shirt looked so good in your pictures...LOL! Make sure you send them to me. Awok (Tim Trees and D-Nice's peoples)- If I spelled the name wrong, don't kill me! It was nice to see you! Crooked Streetz – Pop and Jimmy Jones! Aleven - OOOOH SNAP!!! Tron was in the BUILDIN! It was so nice to see you. Smooches to you, Al! I look forward to making some thangs happen with yall in the near future. Spitters Club- What up Shaka! I heard you tore it up at the 5 Seasons. Soooory I missed you! Ones on the Move- THANKS FOR COMING THROUGH AND SNAPPING THE PICS FOR ME!!!
RAW DOC (or is it DOC HOUSE?) - I get nothing but good vibrations from you all! It always nice to see you and I thank you so very much for the love on MYSPACE. I was not playing about wanting a T SHIRT! Turquoise on black in a medium please...LOL! I will def be in touch concerning my next move.
Squirle Wyde (I have seen like 5 different spelling of this man's name - which one is right! LOL!) & your homie! LOL! Thanks fellas for coming through! I appreciate all that you do to support the scene. You are so very necessary to all of our success.
Mr Wilson - MAN! I was so stressed last night...that I really didn't shout you out like I would have wanted to. I truly do appreciate you coming out! You have been in my constant prayers. I pray that God continues you to keep you under his wing. You are such a talent. Whenever yall are ready to come back on the scene...let's get it crackin. JI-900 is definitely one of BALTIMORE's most respected rap duos.
Jay (Opus Productions)- Thank you so much for coming out! I will most def keep in touch with you! You sound like you have BIG THINGS on the horizon.
Rob and Rob (or Verzes.com and BrownStyle.net) - I appreciate the support and I look forward to seeing the pics on the brownstyle site.
Low Key God and Ray Lugar - Thanks for coming out! As always it was great to see you!
Wassup to my M.O.L. family- it was so nice seeing you all! I was glad to see Tim came (eventually)! Not that Bunny, Fire Arms and Lace aren't my brothers from another, but its something about the big guy's presence in the corner that's kinda soothing...LOL! Hit me up soon....Let me know what's poppin with the crew.
Head Nod Entertainment - Juan (& his brother) and Phathead....I apologize for not being able to talk with you more. I hope you had fun! I assume you did...since I haven't heard from you yet. LOL!
B. Fly - HONEY! that is all I can say...he he!
Jahiti - Please call me! We need to hang out soon! It was great seeing you!
Tasha - What up mama! Congrats on the new on-air position at 92Q! (I know its during the middle of the night, but I am not 100% sure of the actual slot. I will follow up) You are well on your way to reaching your ultimate goals. I am so glad that I will be able to say I met you before you became a super star.
C.O.M.P. - It was so nice to see you boo! Are the people ready for C.O.M.P.??? I don't know...LOL! we will see - NEXT MONTH!
CUTMAN LORD KASEEM - The lounge was jumpin all night long! I so want to work with you again! If you didn't get the chance to see him in action.....please stop by his new gig - JOE's PIZZA SQUARED on North Ave (right by Howard Street/next to Hour Haus) EVERY SATURDAY!!! & ITS FREE!!! Food, good music in a relaxed environment. He specializes in Hip Hop, Reggae and Dancehall.
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All in all....Wednesday's show was GREAT! ALL OF THE PERFORMERS REALLY LEFT A LASTING IMPRESSION ON ALL OF THE OUT OF TOWN GUESTS! DC WAS IN THE BUIDLING!!! I am happy that everyone had a great time.
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NOW the bad..... *
What saddens me is that the rappers and label owners of our city still do not see that you have to support the local scene or it will not exist. If WE ALL do not work to gain support for the scene....how do you expect to get it poppin? You think the fan base comes after you get the deal? I can only do but so much and if you do not support the IBB event ....I will stop giving them and let someone else live out THEIR dream of being a concert promoter. I look over at all the names of MCs that I have in the right column of my blog template and wonder WHY am I supporting people that don't support what I do. Out of maybe 40 names....I saw may 5 of you at the show. I recently took all those pics off my MYSPACE page and plan to only put up the pictures/links to people that are hungry and want more for our city. I get venues...I offer advice and guidence....I try to attract the press....I maintain this site...etc....NOT for me, but for Baltimore Hip Hop. What more do I have to do to get the majority motivated before the spotlight bulb blows??? This is not a rhetorical question. I get more appreciation for the things I do to increase the profile of Baltimore Hip Hop from out of towners, random UNKNOWN people and hopefuls. That is sad... I'm not even gonna preach. I'm saying all this to say.....think twice before you ask me about a show. Its very simple - you MUST show love to get it! I am not saying all this to pout about not making money (that's wack!)....I am just saying this because I am C Love and this is what I keep being told this is what I am supposed to do. I am not going to hold back anymore....when people do iggy ish....Ima let them know!
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I am also getting tired of the disrespect that is being shown to the artists out here who really bust their butts to promote a show. It is not fair that one act brings 20 of their supporters, family and/or friends out and another acts gets the benefit of being seen by new people, but that same performer does nothing to make sure that his colleagues benefit from the same exposure. * To even THINK (consciously or subconsciously) that you are not going to promote because it’s not your show is naive and selfish. In the future....DON'T TAKE THE SHOW if you are not gettin everything that you want from the time that the initial conversation takes place. You are HONESTLY taking up space and doing NO ONE a favor! I will no longer tolerate having line ups that think they are blessing us with their presence. The effort level on the part of many of Baltimore's performers is sub par and if it doesn't step up....certain people will get ALL of my help AND everyone else will unfortunately have to take a number. * None of us are super stars (we are all trying to make a name for ourselves)....the sooner we get that understood across the board....the sooner we can get to the real work of crafting performers that represent our uniquely Baltimorean perspective. No one is going to care about what we do until what we do is perceived as something special. I apologize for the typos! I will post pics a lil later! Holla.............check me out on MYSPACE @ www.myspace.com/clove or www.myspace.com/itsbaltimorebaby |
