Marcel P. Black #RapRecap #6 (2.11.19 in New Orleans, Louisiana)

BACK IN THE BOOT

Along with the many dope things I brought back from the Bay Area with me, I also brought back a nasty eye infection. I've been wearing contacts since since the summer of '96, when I was 12 yrs old. I started off at a -3 in both eyes, now I'm -10 in my left eye, and -11 in my right eye with stigmatisms. I'm legally blind af, no Donna Goodeau. May eyesights deterioration may or may not be connected to my diabetes diagnosis, as it is my mothers. I'm too old and my eyes are too bad to lasik surgery like Chris Paul, so I'm lowkey outchea.

I began having a bad left eye infection before I left for California, so I took it out & threw it away. By the grace of the Lawd my wife found a new one, so I threw that bit in. While in California, with the different climate triggering my alergies and all the weed smoke I was constantly around, the right contact was like, "Fuck this I'm out too." Luckily Brianna wears contacts, so she had her boyfriend Chilly Will bring me some contact solution and a case to put my lens in to let my eye rest since I didn't have my glasses or fresh ones with me. 

Blessings.

Fast foward, I fly back to Louisiana that Saturday evening, and drive in the night time back to BR from NoLa, with one contact. If anyone knows me, you know I hate that drive from NoLa to BR at night with a passion. This was hell multiplied. I get home, don't do shit on Sunday, but Monday I have a show in NoLa with the homie Taiyamo Denku from Milwaukee. He brought me up to Milwaukee last summer to rock with him, Wu-Tang Affiliate Trife Diesel, Rec Riddles, + more and it was a great night that ended with them inviting me on tour with them. I could only do one other date, but I'm playing with them in New Jersey & NYC at the end of the month so it paid off. I helped Denku find other NoLa guys to add to the bill, so yeah, I'ma pull up and rock.

Plus I have a bone to pick with NoLa because noone booked me there in 2018, the first time in 9 years, a calendar year went by an noone booked me there. That's a whole nother rant tho. Anyways, I had it on my mind to body the stage, because I'm petty like that. Like I said, that's a whole nother rant.

THANK GOD FOR MARK DUB, PART MAN/PART THUG

I really wanna go to this show in NoLa, but I know it's not safe for me to drive at night with a bum right eye. So the day before the show, I call my right hand man, Mark Dub ask him can he drive me to NoLa bc a nigga can't see straight outchea. Mark did not want to take me to New Orleans on a Monday night, I can tell by his reluctant yes. But I asked him was he sure, and he said yes again. I wasn't gonna ask him a third time. If you know me personally, or if you've read #RapRecap's for OKC & Tulsa, you know Mark Dub is one of my best friends, my biggest supporters, and an all around great motherfucker. He's not my manager, he's not my assistant, he's my sanity when I try to do shit all by myself like I always do, because I'm an only child and hate asking for help. Mark is one of the few people down to ride with me unconditionaly. His title is the "Director of Function," because he makes sure everything goes right, from driving when I can't see or have the gotdamn gout in my right foot, to setting up my merch table, getting me waters, and most importantly, finding the right strip club after the shows. We always ctfu on the road, my best rap travels have him riding shot gun and/or manning the wheel 9.5/10. I love him like a brother and am grateful the Heavenly Mother put him in my life. 

Thank you Mark, on some RNS.

MARCEL P. BLACK VS DRUNK WHITE WOMAN

We get to the venue, I set up merch. Holla at Denku, Proper Channels, John Brown, and Slangston Hughes. Slang and I go back 10 years, so we had some turkey to talk, a convo that we been needing to have to get some understanding. Nothing serious, but it was a necessary convo. As we were squaring it away, a drunk older white lady interrupts us with, "Hey how do you guys feel about racism." Slang looks at me like, "You got this Black."

Indeed. So the convo goes something like this (edited for brevity).

Me: I don't fuck with racism at all. Do you?

DWW: No way man. I'm an owner of this place. I'm tired of all this indie rock bands here, I wanna book more rap.

Me: Well thanks for having us. What does that have to do with racism?

DWW: You know, I just wanna make sure you're comfortable here.

Me: We're good, everyone here has been very nice to you. What makes you come ask us about racism tho?

Slang: Yeah, because that can make someone feel uncomfortable.

DWW: Don't mind me, I'm just a old white lady I love rap. Oh I like your hair. (*reaches out to touch hair)

Slang: See that can make someone uncomfortable.

Me: Hell yeah.

DWW: I'm sorry, I just love the style. Where does it come from?

Slang: *sigh... Well...

Me: Africa.

DWW: -_-.

Slang: *lol

Me: You fuck with Trump?

DWW: No way, fuck that mother fucker. My dad  voted for him, and my mom is still pissed because she voted for Hillary.

Me: I fuck with mom dukes. Well I'ma say Fuck Donald Trump alot tonight, is that gonna be a problem?

DWW: No go ahead.

ME: Aight...

Then I turned back to Slang to finish our convo till she go the hint and went on bout her damn business. Later that night she DID touch Slang's hair, and he had to school her. Gave a Black History Month lecture for her mf ass.

GIVING WORK TO NOBODY

I've already written way too much, so I'll try to try to breeze thru the rest. Oh yeah, this venue is 200 cap, and it's like 14 ppl there. 7 people are the rappers. I have to go last. On a Monday night, with one contact. And judging by the crowd, there will be no money for me. But the show must go on.

First is John Brown, he does his thing. Next is Proper Channels. I've been watching them since their LSU days as AOI, and man are they sharp af now. I'm jealous as hell that Blueprint shouted them out on Super Duty Tough Work too lol. Slang goes up, polished NoLa vet performance. Denku runs thru his set with ease, bodies shit with his freestyle abilities, literally one of the best emcees off the top I've ever seen. 

Now it's my turn. It's already midnight. I'm still jetlagged from Cali. I have one working eye. I don't feel like being here at all. But I have something to prove, I'm the best emcee performing in New Orleans period tonight, and they gone get this work, even if ain't nobody here. Specifically these New Orleans artists, because I feel New Orleans is seeing a nigga shine, but don't wanna show love. Not these guys really, but they gotta feel my wrath tonight. So I gave work.

I decide to do the exact set I did in San Fran, bc I wanted to work out the kinks I had at the Backseat show. And man did I. I punched everyone in the mouth with "BR7MC," then went straight into

"Live My Love," fixing all the fuck ups from the the last time I performed it. Next was "Black God Fresh," and buddy from Proper Channels was fuckin with it tough.

Issa bop.

I make good on my word on saying "Fuck Donald Trump" alot as I perform "Hallelujah," only after dissing the venue in Lafayette that I believe canceled my show the day of because I was gonna perform that song. The crowd ate it up. For some reason white folks love "#FreeBLKPPL," it went over well. Then I take them all the way to church with "Cry Freedom," and it's a wrap. Of course I didn't have the 300 cap crowd hanging on every word like they were in San Francisco, by my set was actually better technically, very sharp and crisp, like a mf who really does this. Niggas knew what it was.

"THIS POST TOOK NUTS"- BORNMATIK

I'm an honest ass person. Here's what I wrote as I posted the pics from the show on the gram. 

"Every artist knows not every time is packed crowd at MSG. Some nights are slow, but u still gotta rock for the ppl who came thru the door. I still feel I had a good set as I performed at full game speed like it was a sold out crowd. Mf's still got this work."

 I mean what else can I say? I'm thru tryinna angle my phone in small ass crowds to make people believe it was a packed house when it's not. I rap all over the country, and book rappers from all over the country. This is apart of the game. Period. If you've never had to rock hard af in front of 10 people, you not really outchea. I earned my respect from all the emcees, and Denku wants me up in Milwaukee this summer. This time with a bigger bag. Mission accomplished.

RATINGS

Venue: 4.5/5. I love playing at this venue, perfect place for an underground rap show. Subtracting becuase of the annoying drunk white woman.

Crowd: 3/5. If it was a full house it'd been a 5. But since it was damn near noone there, gotta give a lower score.

Merch Sales: 2/5. Noone shopped besides a member of Proper Channels. And a random white lady gave me $10 bucks for the culture.

Sound: 5/5. Great.

SET LIST

1. "BR7MC" (from "Seven")

2. "Live My Love" (from "Black Collar")

3. "Black God Fresh" (Unreleased)

4. "Hallelujah" (from "Seven")

5. "#FreeBLKPPL" (From "Seven")

6. "Cry Freedom" (From "Cry Freedom)"

NEXT SHOW

3/9/19 in Pensacola, Florida