Happy New Year!!! I've been trash as it pertains to doing post show rap blogs for the last 2 years, but one of my many resolutions is to do one for every show this year, so let's begin.
THE HOME TOWN HERO FINALLY PERFORMS AT HOME
If you don't know, I NEVER get booked in Baton Rouge to perform. There's a lot of reasons why I don't, but I just don't (that's for another blog). So when my people were hit up to do the show, I was really excited, being that I haven't been booked for a show as an artist since January 2016, back when I opened for Kevin Gates in front of 6,000 people for his "Islah" album release party, under protest. The manager for the company for who booked the show was very professional, made me an offer I could live with, we closed the deal.
TRAINING TO BE THE BEST RAPPER
For those who don't know, I was diagnosed as pre-diabetic in late September 2018. When I moved to Louisiana August of 2002 I was 230 lbs. That day when Doc diagnosed me, I was 454 lbs. Years of late night eating and drinking, not exercising, and just plain not taking care of my health caught up with me. While on tour, you tend to eat horrible at all the fast food spots, and I was drinking wayyyy too much Henny & Redbull. Then there's the mental health component in which I was self-medicating with food, eating my feelings to deal with the anxiety that comes with a Black man who is a husband and father and conscious rapper and mental health counselor and mentor and OG and all of that other stuff. I swear to got a Double Quarter Pounder with a large fry and a Coke is like smoking Snoop Dogg quality weed to me... But I digress...
That shit was killing me, so that day I changed my whole diet, and started working out again consistently, and in just a little over 3 months I'm down 42 lbs!!! It's helped clear my mind to the point I'm much happier about life, my pen is better, and my stage show is 10x times better. When I'm in that gym I'm thinking about how I'm gonna body everyone who touches that stage before and after, how my breath control both live & in the booth are gonna be a problem, how this form of self care is releasing tension and saving my health, giving me room to be more creative.
I want this shit more than ever, so I'm literally training to be the best rapper I can be. Being that I rarely rap in Baton Rouge, a lot of the guys who only know me since I've been a national touring artists never saw the bodies I caught on stage during my "local up and coming days," they just think I'm the fat guy who rants about my disdain for over vocals rap, and hosts free shows at the barbershop. So I'm also training to show these youngsters why I am the Baton Rouge God Emcee, how I earned it, and how I don't plan on coming off of that title soon. So the day of, before we go eat our New Years Day meal by the Rose's house, I go get a killer workout in, less that 5 hours before soundcheck. I'm not playing with non of ya'll, I swear.
FALSE START
If anyone knows me, they know I'm a student of the craft, artform, culture, and industry. one of my favorite things to do is listen to and study rap related podcasts, by favorite being "Super Duty Tough Work" by Ohio Hip-Hop legends Blueprint and Illogic. I always hear them talk about the benefits of being early, and I was able to open for Print when I booked him in Baton Rouge last summer as he promoted his "Two Headed Monster" album. He got there mad early, and was able to deal with the BS that took place when the venue double booked a 6 PM show right before our show with doors that started at 8 PM.
I told myself in 2019, I will be early for all shows, I will make sure I'm doing all the work on the front end so I'm not panicking on the back end if something goes arry. My guy says the soundcheck starts at 6:30 PM, I'm at the venue at 6:15 PM. I know I'm not making Tech N9ne money as a indie/underground rap guy, but I'll be damned if I don't work as hard or carry myself as equally as professional.
I get there, and noone's there. Club is totally locked up, lights off. I call the number I was given for the promoter who booked me, goes to voicemail, and that mf was full. I text him, no response. The plan was for my wife to drop me off, go take the kids to the sitter, then come back and see me perform. I've never worked with this promoter before, so my anxiety is thru the roof, thinking, "What if the show is canceled and I don't get my money?" Now I wanna get some Mickey D's to calm my nerves, but I fight the urge, bc I don't wanna fuck up my points, and having the bubble guts from greasy food while spittin' from your'e soul don't mix. While we waiting, the Rap Dad Mini-Van is on E, like light blinking E. So we decide to go get gas and come back. We go get gas, get back, about 10 till 7 PM, now the club is open, but the promoter isn't there. Doors open at 7 PM, and I'm like Bruuuhhhh...
FALSE START 2.0...
Finally the promoter arrives, get's me my table, I set my shirts & cd's up, email list and all. He tells me he heard of me when he googled Baton Rouge Underground Hip-Hop, and saw my name on mad different links. He says he peeped the 2017 XXL.com list I was on, and my music stuck out to him, that he has my song "Boss" on repeat. I ask him did he want me to perform it, he says "hell yeah." It's lit. In fact, when I went outside to walk my wife in, the sound guy is playing "Boss." Aight, cool. I go to the sound guy to give him my music, and the computer isn't working. So now they gotta scramble to find a DJ.
Bruhhhhh....
If you know me and how I throw events, you know I'm very serious and run a tight ass ship. I believe even tho we underground indie guys, shit needs to be professional as possible, so my anxiety again has me wanting a #2 from the Golden Arches, but them points mane, I can't fade it. Finally a DJ comes, we get the music right, but there's no soundcheck. I'm going up next to last, so I reckon they'll get it right before I get up there.
OK, NOW WE CAN START...
There's no host, so the first act goes on. Two fine sisters body suits (Lawd....) did a routine to Beyonce's Coachella performance. Then the smaller of the two did a Ciara "One Two Step" type dance record, singing over vocals. Okay. Next is Fade The Flow Sundays Alumni J-Pro, whom I recently reconnected with at December's FTFS. He's a good guy with good music, who I rocks with because I can tell he's a Hip-Hop head. After him is an R&B singer singing about murdering people over vocals.
Cuz.
Next two acts were interesting, including one artist who I can tell probably is really good in the studio but doesn't perform much. His nerves got the best of him and it never really came together.
A MASTER CLASS IN EMCEEING...
So now I go up, and though the crowd is not thick, and the show is a lot different in terms of levels of experience in performing than I'm used to on the road, I still have bodies to catch. I notice there's been no talking to the crowd, acapellas, or call and response all night, and that's what I do best, so they finna get this work.
I start off with my go to acapella, you know, the "My daddy sang gospel, but I chose to be a rapper" one, and they bite. The first song I do is "Black God Fresh," which will probably be the first song on my new album called "_____ _______" featuring ___ ____. This is only my 3rd time performing the record so I'm still working kinks out, but it still goes over well. The crowd is really into the call and response, and I really think they were surprised bc they didn't know what this fat guy was gonna do up there. My gym workouts are paying off as I'm wayyyy more nimble on stage compared to 6 months ago, not getting winded, and just having more fun in general.
Next is "Boss" per the promoters' request, the crowd is into it. After that I tell the crowd about how I believe my show in Lafayette was canceled the day of in October due to this song in which I say "Fuck Donald Trump" a lot. I gotta crazy chip on my shoulder with that venue and Laffy in general, but that's for another blog. Anyways, I know I'm in a Black owned venue, and quite frankly, NDC how people feel, because Fuck Donald Trump.
I do the record, the crowd is rocking with me, except a few negroes in the corner. Every dope performer knows that there's always a few niggas in the crowd who refuse to show u love and acknowledge you're doing your shit, because that's just how niggas be sometimes. The nature of niggas. I decide to give them this work specifically for the rest of my show, rap even harder and crisper, because I'm motivated by niggas not showing love, and I have a tendency to troll a lil bit too.
Finally, I end on "Stare & Whisper," and we go to church. Crowd is rocking with me, I feel great, work has been given. I thank the promoter, audience, venue, plug my online info, direct people to my table. After my set was the last artist, who was pretty good, inviting me on stage to rep on a record that I really liked. This show wasn't rapping in front of thousands opening up for a major label hometown hero like 3 years ago, but I'm equally appreciative to be able to come back home and rock for the city I love so much, and create new fans. People signed the email list, bought CD's & T-shirts, took pics, that's all I can ask for.
Donney Rose told me "That was a Master Class in Emceeing." #CultureOverEverything.
RATINGS
Venue: 4/5. Good set up for a show, Black owned, maybe I'll see if I can do something there soon.
Crowd Response: 4.5/5. They showed love. 'Cept for them one niggas.
Merch Sales: 3.5/5. Wasn't a large crowd, but I feel the people who shopped were converted to fans.
Sound: 4/5. Sounded good af to me.
SET LIST
"Black God Fresh" (Unreleased)
NEXT SHOW
1.4.19- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
No comments:
Post a Comment