As an artist I’ve always wondered what famous people did with the art they didn't release to the world. What if Michael Jackson had a better album than Thriller? What if Lauren Hill had a better album than The Miseducation? Jay-Z doesn't write, instead everything comes off the top of the dome. Believe me he has too many great verses to just pick one. But what if he had a better verse that he forgot? These questions do linger, but luckily Steph Simon has answered this question with the release of his new project called "Lost Gems".
Steph Simon is a hip-hop artist from Tulsa, Oklahoma that has continued to push the culture forward in ways that many would've considered crazy as an idea, he has always had the knack to make those ideas a reality. From throwing the biggest hip-hop festival in the Southwest called DreamLand Festival, to helping 50-plus artists be signed to the prestigious MoTown Records, to creating a hip-hop course curriculum that allows him to work with younger artist in high school and middle school. That's only scratching the surface of his community work. As an artist Steph Simon, has put out multiple projects that have defined the Tulsa sound and encapsulated its history. He's also appeared on numerous songs and has performed on almost every stage in Oklahoma. So, when an artist of this stature says that he has music that didn't make the anticipated album "All Roads Lead to DreamLand". I began to wonder what was he going to do with these unreleased tracks? That's where the album "The Lost Gems" was birthed. The Lost Gems is a 10-track project that clocks in at only 29 minutes listening time. There are 7 credited featured artists in the project's tracklist. An interesting note about the track list is that out of all the featured artists, there is only 1 Oklahoma artist on the album, and that's Dolo Loco. Furthermore, there are no World Culture Music members featured on this project, which is really unusual, sort of similar to Benny The Butcher dropping an album without one single Griselda member on it. Is it a crime? No. But is it unusual? Yes. But to give context that this is more of a compilation of songs and not a true album gives us a little hope that there may be another World Culture Music album one day. (side note: "What Would Jim Do?" is no longer on streaming) We also had the pleasure of going to the listening party for the project that was held at Silhouette Sneakers & Art, the same place that Steph shot the video for "Built Different". Let's sit with this a little. A listening party. What exactly is it, and what makes a successful listening party? The answers, in my opinion. First, not everybody is invited. It's not a place for socializing per say, it's a time to get the tastemakers in the room to have a truly transparent interaction with the art. The tastemakers include the bloggers, the newspapers, the podcasters, the publicists, the djs, the radio djs, the club djs, the radio program directors, A&Rs and other music executives. This isn't a time for you to have all the homies, every single rapper in the city, the social media influencer who posts funny videos, the streamer whose content is about gaming, the TikToker that does dances. The former is what will get your music played, and the latter might play you. The experience is also supposed to be interactive. It should be a two-way interaction where the artist plays the song, but also gives space for feedback, which will also be data for the artist to maybe tweak the album or use for future releases. The listening party is as much for you as much as it is for the tastemakers. They get to listen to music early enough in the hopes that they can craft content for your up-coming releases. They also get to see trends happening real-time. Lastly, this helps tastemakers continue to build trust with their audiences by showing why they are tastemakers and the fact that they get into exclusive rooms and have these VIP experiences that the regular person wouldn't and put their necks out for why the listener should spend their time and money with an artist. It's a mutually beneficial relationship. The Lost Gems Listening Party. Let's get into it. What made Steph Simon's The Lost Gems Listening Party so memorable is that he is great at storytelling and he's great at performing. Both of these strengths he leaned into by A, telling stories behind the tracks and how they were created, and B, by performing either a verse or a certain part of the song such as the hook acappella, this brung the words to life, and often was like relistening to the song through a different lens I noticed myself catching things I didn't in the first listen. Also this was my first listen to the album, I wanted to go in truely unbiased and be able to experience the album for the first time through a new purely objective perspective. Let's get to the album! The Album Cover Some might thing that album covers don't matter anymore, I can assure you that they mean more now than ever and Steph Simon has always been intentional with his. The photo for album cover for "The Lost Gems" is from the DreamLand fundraiser game from March 23, 2025 that was held at the Tulsa Driller's Stadium. This field is important not only to Simon, but to the community. A community that neighborhood kids would use to play games such as football or kickball in, the then empty field. But also, it is believed to be where the bodies of the Black Wall Street Massacre are buried. Now the field is built over by the minor league baseball team's stadium called, Tulsa Drillers Stadium. But on this day that same community reclaimed it for them as they competed in a kickball game with Steph Simon taking the mound as one of the teams' pitchers. 
The Interaction The interaction of the Listening Party started with of course the people, the free food, the free drinks. But also came with the music. dj noname. who set the vibe with a crazy setlist of curated music that only added to the anticipation of hearing the new album, dj noname. continues to be a name that is respected and one that is apart of the Tulsa sound from his musical family linage all the way to the music he is creating now. Another great interaction was the art installation of Simon's lyrics. This is the ultimate form of vulnerability and was basically like reading through his journal where there was the good, the great, and a few diss tracks that the world may never see. 
Let's not forget, the interaction with Merch, this was something I also appreciated. We're literally coming here to support you, the artist, so why not have merch there as a second way for people to support you. That might be exclusive merch or first looks on merch that won't drop until later. Steph Simon did this very well with an assortment of t-shirts, hats, buttons, and stickers. There's only one other artist that I've seen sell merch at their listening party with a more curated feel and that was PG Louie who had a custom candle called "Creed N' Candy" that felt a part of the marketing and vibe of the album. More artists should have merch at their listening parties. And as an independent artist, really you should always have merch on you. The last interaction that really set Steph Simon apart was the fact that he had a Google Form that asked listeners questions specific to each song on the album. such as; What's your overall thought for the specific track? What stood out most about the track?
I encourage you to fill it out the Form and let us know some of your answers:
The Lost Gems Listening Party Form The Music Please Now let's get to the music. The album started out with Keep Diggin which is motivational and a great starting point for the album. It's Steph Simon in reassurance of his position and the values he's practiced. The featured artist Dometrius, has a soulful voice that becomes sort of an internal conscious for Simon, encouraging him to continue moving like he's moving, because he's so close to hitting gold. I really like the song. The next song is of course "Built Different" (read our review here). Simon has put on a masterclass when it comes to promoting a single, and continues to push this song like it just came out. The social media impressions and user generated content from the single alone has shown the song's impact, all evidence of a well-executed on the marketing campaign, and also shows that it pays off to stick with a single you truly believe in. But I can't help but to think, it would be a total loss of momentum if this song wasn't also on the "All Roads Lead to DreamLand" anticipated album from Simon. Hopefully, Simon recognizes. It's the radio single, it's the one that gets the listener in the story and anticipating hearing a familiar sound, "Built Different". Also, the video is sooooo dope! Just watch! The 3rd track on the album is Fundamentals. The song is as good as the story behind it. Simon had been working on music with the famous West Coast producer Blaqthoven who's worked with every major West Coast hip-hop artist known such as Snoop Dogg and E-40, Kurrupt, even Talib Kweli. And uncle Charlie, yeah that's really his uncle, Charlie Wilson. So as Simon put it, he made a song with Blaqthoven that he wanted to get Das and Kurrupt on, but unfortunately this was the same time that the two were beefing, so it never happened. But God always has a funny way of laughing at your plan because he already had His plan in mind, that was put into motion when Simon did a show in OKC with Jabee and Mistah F.A.B, who is a bay era legend, the result, Fundamentals. What Steph Simon wrote down on paper as a goal had morphed into something that was better than he could've expected, also Simon told how he felt like he is the Mistah F.A.B. of Tulsa, so there were a lot of synergies in these two being on the record together. The song itself is a call back to getting back to the fundamentals of hip-hop, of which Simon has always been a student of. Simon raps about pushing back against the algorithm and getting back to making good music. Mistah F.A.B. is back to the fundamentals of bars and lyrics and regional sound. One of my favorite bars from the album is when Simon raps, "Probably catch me posted by that Mid-K, I think's that's why so many rappers out here dropping mid-tapes". It explains the fact that music back in the day had to be good, because in order to sell your music, people had to like it. Now all artists have to do is to come up with one catchy bar, or one hook, and you can get millions of streams from a TikTok. But chasing that one viral moment has come at the cost of good music and lots of horrible music. Or even worse, music that you only know that one viral part. You might as well create jingles if your goal is to go viral. Because to make real music that lasts, you need the Fundamentals! If you're familiar with Simon's music than you know that the Black dollar has always been a part of his messaging and this tape was no exception. Big Fish is a track that promotes the black dollar circulating amongst the community and showing that everyone can eat, even a Big Fish in what others may consider a small pond. The featured artist AJ Snow talks about taking risks for a bigger profit as well as investing. Steph Simon's has always been a quarterback of the DIY movement, so when he mentions Jeff Blake, it was the perfect comparison, Blake was a an Black quarterback who played for the Cincinnati Bengals, and has the record 92-yard touchdown pass in a Pro Bowl game, while Simon has been throwing hail mary passes his whole career, and scoring more often than not. The last feature on the track is Jayson Cash another California artist who had a great line about realizing that his first time he flew out of LA was actually a connecting flight in OKC, the world is truly that small, especially to a Big Fish. If you're from Tulsa, then you immediately recognize the early 2000s Tulsa sound that comes from the track T.A.N. the acronym stands for "Tulsa Ass Nigga". The song pays homage to that Tulsa era where artists had a certain draw in the way the said things, the shops that people used to shop at, such as Big T's, and the accessories that was work, such as hoop earrings or basket earrings, Jordans, and the iconic Herringbone chain. Also, the rodeo culture that people didn't run from, they ran to, many putting the rodeo culture in their music as well. Simon also chose not to have the track mixed and mastered as to stay true to that Tulsa sound, he noted the nasally Tulsa flow that he even incorporated into his verse. Not to mention the featured artist that is so Tulsa, Dolo Loco. He lets you know all that comes with being a T.A.N. "On Me". Nothing New is a track produced by long time Tulsa producer Papa. During the listening party Simon mentioned that he draws comparisons to LaRussell, but also he says he's like E-40 because at the point that he entered the rap game it was going through a pivotal shift, social media had yet to be created, so for him, his timeline gets lost with many people approaching him as a new independent artist without knowing that he's been grinding for years. He also mentions this as one of his favorite songs on the album which I can see why. It's real talk and real flexing, or as he says, "I ain't on these murals for no reason". You might remember Lil Wayne and Drake had a song called BB King, Simon's bodies the beat just as much with storytelling and metaphors that punch through each bar. "Line it up like a Keezy Kut". Simon continues to immortalize his homies in his bars and takes listeners on a journey through his lens. He just wants his blues like BB King. Also, I have to mention that you know you're important to the culture when rap juggernauts Jabee and Chris "The God Mc" Cain pull up. It was like 3 Kings, truly a moment for hip-hop! 
Time For A Hard Truth...... The track Tell Me. I'm not the fan of. It's a love song that felt forced. The vocalist's performance on the track could have been stronger. It felt more like an in the shower performance than a man singing about love. The energy was so low and mundane. It's missing the passion. I think it's Steph's own vocal presence and lyrics that literally saves the track. I would like to see the singer either redo the vocals or bring in a stronger singer using this as a reference track. Think of Some Ways is a track that signifies that Simon has figured out how to tie all of his entities into a self-sufficient machine rather than stand-alone businesses that he hustles continuously to keep going. His anchor begins with the DreamLand Festival that helps gather funds to help grow the other entities such as TMC Records and other school programming. It's also a realization that he is similar to the hip-hop pioneers like KRS One, that will open the doors for the kids to make millions even if that means he might not fully see the millions himself. He will help the kid in Monroe that will be able to see his vision through, that's legacy. And within that, like JAy-Z said, "I’m over charging niggas for what they did to the Cold Crush". This song is Rapanomics! Gotta Eat is the last track on the album. Steph Simon sounds hungry on this track, the youngins would say he's rapping like the rents due. But he has already said the rent's paid. Simon mentioned the track was written while riding the Blue Line train in Santa Monica, it would be there that he would ride bikes on the beach. It was also on this train ride that Simon saw a naked man, and that's when he had the sobering thought that life ain’t bad. Also, it was on this hour-long train ride that he actually wrote the song to 4 different beats, before choosing this one produced by Blaqthoven. My interpretation of the production is that it's really busy, it's hard at times to track where to anchor your ear to because of the competing vocals, instruments, and tempos. As crazy as Kanye is, he's good at stripping beats down and finding places for emotion over drum patterns. I wanted more of that emotion to come through on this track. The lyrics are there; the emotions aren't. To throw a listening party means that you have to have a few different elements. The right people, the right interactions, and the right equipment. I think Silhouette is a great place, but I did find that even sitting close to the speakers that it was at times hard to make out the lyrics. Bass is important, but it's more important during a listening party to be able to hear the lyrics. I think that could've been executed better. There was lots of great activations. But also I would've liked to see a few more djs and radio personnel there. But this may just be a practice run before the real album drops. I think the Google form was genius, not only are you collecting feedback but you're also collecting another contact point that is outside of the social media machines. Direct to customer. That's the answer. The final goal is to get people to listen to the album, and from everyone I polled they did. The last goal is to get those people to create content to get people to listen to the album. That's what this is. So, mission accomplished. That's what makes a good listening party. 
I do suggest that you listen to The Lost Gems. It's a great album. And it's streaming everywhere!
I also encourage you to fill out the form. The Lost Gems Listening Party Form
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 Over this past weekend I decided that I would finally give in and give TI's new comedy special "Cheaper Than Therapy" a try. You may be thinking why? Like you, I questioned my decision in thinking the same. Why now? Why Comedy? But my curiosity had gotten the best of me. For one, because I am an avid T.I. fan, we're talking about I'm Serious, Trap Muzik, and of course, King. Since T.I. came on the scene in the early 2000s, I've always admired T.I's songwriting ability, his swag, his vocabulary (which has become a social media inside joke), and that he always stood on morals. His album King was practically the soundtrack to my 2006. But as I grew, I noticed that there was a clear disconnect between his new music and the music he I had grew up listening to. I met him as dope boy TIP, and he had become T.I. the reality star and social activist. Now even further from his 2006 album King, T.I. has switched gears to comedy. Before I press play on the review here are a few thoughts about it. What qualifies me to critique comedy? I have watched every Dave Chappelle special and every Kevin Hart special, which shows a complete spectrum of comedy, Dave’s dark humor and Kevin Hart’s comedic timing when it comes to his mannerisms, plus I watch Chocolate Sundaes on YouTube, but my most proud qualification of all, I was a Comic View baby. There were so many nights I would stay up watching Comic View on BET. Also, I used to watch Def Comedy Jam, we only had HBO for a bit, but when we did, best believe I was tuned in. Stand Up Comedy is a genre I regularly look for on NetFlix, so with well over 100 watch hours of comedic routines and from a wide range of comedians, this qualifies me to answer the question for T.I.'s comedy special. For T.I. is comedy really cheaper than therapy? We start with his appearance, which was undoubtedly inspired by Eddie Murphy's outfit in his special "Raw". But it also seemed inspired by Martin Lawrence's loose look in his special "You So Crazy". With a swagger and an outfit that paid homage to Eddie Murphy’s Raw red leather suit I can say, at least he's done some studying of the greats. But did he really put in his 10,000 hours? He’s only 3 years in and has a comedy special in his hometown of Atlanta, which from the start of the show he made sure to let the crowd know that this wasn't a concert. A clever jab to start off the job, but this is heavyweight fight and it's gonna take more than a snicker to get a good laugh from me.  Let's talk about some of the science of comedy. Comedy is an artform that has so many measurable metrics, one of the most important ones being, timing. I've gotta admit his timing seemed off. His jokes ran together. He didn't know how to let some jokes breathe and when to breathe at times. They just didn’t land the way he had in his head. A lot of the laughs seemed to be forced from the crowd more like a studio audience on queue than a real audience that connected with the jokes. It was a room of friends and it seemed like his friends were being nice. But there were a few bright spots. T.I. has always been a great storyteller and this did translate to his show. He came out to his song “About The Money” which he used to set up his jokes about Young Thug. He talked about the government using his lyrics against him in his RICO charge, which he told a great joke about nobody knowing what Young Thug says in the verse of the song, "He obviously rappin in cursive." Then he proved that know one knows what Young Thug is really saying as he had the crowd hilariously try to recite his "Live My Lifestyle" verse, the first 4 bars nobody could repeat. Then went into a story about repeating back Thug what he thought he said in the verse, which Young Thug hilariously replied, "OG you right!" Atlanta has a lot of competition when it comes to dating and T.I. let the crowd know that love in Atlanta is circumstantial, she with you until she sees someone like Usher. He then went into a story about walking home because Usher called shotgun with the person he rode to the club with, which then led into a horrible imitation of Usher. It's his transitions from joke to joke that were really rough and often were awkward and off kilter. He then gets a little personal as he goes into his relationship with Tiny, starting with his jokes about her beating him, the way his voice inflections came off it sounded more like boy who cries wolf than funny joke. It’s like his jokes that were building from a story at times weren’t fully flushed out and just went to a dead end. But I've gotta say one of the most disappointing parts of the special was the part he used in the trailer. In real-time the joke wasn't funny. It was the edit of the trailer that made it funny. Mostly because the timing was off so bad. Back to relationship jokes. He also had this joke about he and his wife going on a double date with friends and that comparison is the thief of joy. Great life advice. But bad joke. The joke didn’t land when he was comparing his reaction to his wife being late to his wife’s friend being late. But the story never really took a funny turn. It was funny when he said take me on a double date with couple that’s been tested like Kirk and Rasheda. Cardi B and Offset. Yea that's a real test.  A shining moment. I gotta give it to him on the part where he talked about his kids, it was one of the funnier parts of the special, especially when he talked about his son King. He literally talked for the last 15 minutes of the show just about his son. But his timing was still off at times, and he hasn’t perfected mannerisms the way Kevin Hart has. He talked about being shocked his son graduated, I was thinking, us too. He talked about his son Messiah slash Buddy Red being the one who had the ultimate confidence and a free spirit. Which he says his kids all got a piece of him, "But King, he got the skip fade, cap to the side T.I. How does he act like me at a time he didn’t even know me." He also did an impression of King standing up on the table and yelling, “Hell, naw where were y'all niggas at when the Feds hit?" The End! Well, that's what it felt like, the ending was so awkward, he just said, "Thank you Atlanta" and walked off stage with his single "I'm Serious“ playing in the background. It seemed like he was on a time crunch, like he would have to penalty to the building if they didn't get everyone out before the hour was up. There weren't any end credits, no pictures, or audience reactions. Just The End! The verdict. T.I. is on a side mission. Not all side missions earn money. Not all side missions make you popular, for the right reasons. Truthfully, I say don’t watch this after watching a Chappelle special. This is like watching a new comedian that is still finding his own style and delivery. He put this special out too soon. But he has the money to do it, and he tried, which I can't knock him for trying. This is a new medium that will take time. He's still a rap legend. He still can get audiences to buy tickets. But would I recommend you paying to see this comedy special. Maybe not sober because a by shot 5, who cares how bad the joke is. And as always, drink responsibly. So to answer the question. Therapy might not have been cheaper than comedy. But At least with therapy, the therapist isn't laughing at you, or at least in your face. Let us know what you think of the comedy special and if you see T.I. having a real future in comedy. Watch the comedy special here: TIP AINT FUNNY  Back in the days when I was younger. That song still plays in my head as I roamed the halls of McLain High School for Science and Technology. Memories of friends, prep rallies, school dances, but what I don’t remember is a record company, or rather a music curriculum. McClain has this and it’s helping talented students express their creativity, while also teaching them the business behind the art they love. This past Thursday, we got the opportunity to see this class firsthand during their concert release party for their sophomore album “The 49th Floor”. Let’s talk about it. I can’t say enough about what Steph Simon has done with this group. The Tulsa King has taken all he’s known and has poured it into these students. During the performance, he stood below the stage like a college coach, which he draws parallels with, since he has to manage new students coming into the program as well as existing star players leaving to either transfer or go onto the next level. And like a college coach, Steph Simon called plays during the performance and stood proud at the end watching all the hard work his players went through now translate into a great performance. Steph Simon, you are doing amazing work, and you deserve your flowers. But let’s get into the music. The students. If I were to compare this concert with the one from last year, I would say the key difference was confidence. The returning students had more confidence which comes with experience, like a varsity player does. Even the freshmen artists surprisingly had confidence that came with the support of the team as well as being just being naturally talented. Another point of interest from this concert was the range of music on display. There were so many different genres. From rap to R&B, these were expected, but then there were pop songs, duets, just a variety of influences. One of the early singles was from artist Jinko Nwena and her song “No Lie”, which is a soulful pop record with high energy and a dance that solidifies its virality. No Lie. TMC Records has always been able to make music. That’s never been a doubt, but what has set this year’s concert apart from last year's, I believe, is the performance. Not only were there props like desks, chairs, and a band, but there was also dancing. For example, during one of the performances, artist Rita Pita rapped her song "Dont Be Afraid" as three background dancers performed in synchronized movements, which added an extra layer to the performance. On another performance, artists Letre Mason and Robin performed their song “Decisions” as a duet and with some choreography. The song alone makes you want to move, and the choreography gave the audience permission to. Getting back to the desks. During J.U.V,’s track “I Ain’t No Dumb Rapper”, students were making beats on the desks while he rapped. It was a feeling of Public Enemy with a mix of Nipsey Hussle and the ultimate middle finger to the person who commented in the Tulsa World article that we could be teaching these kids more than just music. Even Mayfest was chanting, “I Ain’t No Dumb Rapper”. BabbyBuzz and Izzy D are students who transferred for their senior year and left a mark as soon as they stepped on campus. The dynamic duo reminds you of some the best in the game to ever do it, Kobe and Shaq. Jordan and Pippen. Durk and Sosa? The last one might be for a laugh, but you can’t deny that they just make hits. They came out the gate with their hit single “Drip Talk”. The song is infectious, even in the video, they have that swag, that rizz. And it’s more songs to come from the two, like “We Ballin” which is another high-energy song that’s sure to be a hit when it drops. Whether you like it or not, these two are well on their way to being stars. For the past three years, females have been running the rap game. This was also shown in TMC Records' performance as artists such as Rita Pita continue to be a standout artist with a commanding presence and a familiarity with the stage. She’s a star and she knows it. Another female artist that’s proving she has what it takes to be a star is Unique, who had a unique performance as she remixed Boston Richey’s hit single “Help Me”. The whole crew helped shine a light on her, literally, by surrounding her with their cellphone lights as she commanded the stage. Robin, the freshman of the group, is like that star recruit who came in the game getting buckets. She has versatility to rap, sing, and dance, and was featured in numerous songs throughout the night. One of the dopest things to see that night was seeing the faculty including the principal fan out to all the performances. The principal was one of the loudest champions of the performance and was at times taking videos and pictures and also waved his phone in the air with the flashlight on. To say these faculty supports these students would be an understatement. They were there extra hours afterwork. If that ain’t dedication, I don’t know what it is Also, if you've ever been to a TMC performance than one of the angelic voices that you've probably heard is Laryaha. She has an amazing voice and is also a great songwriter from what I've heard. "Sunny Dayz" which features her, Tink, Rita Pita and Robin is known single, but for this performance felt remixed with a little bit of a different sound and new faces. The singers of the group can still sannnggg. There were a lot of great performances of the night that I didn't get to capture like TK GZ, KGZ, and J.U,V's song "Aye Brother". But I'm sure I'll get the opportunity to see them perform again soon.
Last but not least is the support staff. I gotta give it up to the people behind the scenes like Jayla the stage manager who did an amazing job getting people to the stage and passing out mics. KyKy who is the content manager and engineer who also works with Tay who is also a content manager and is also a camera crew member. Also Producer & Composer $uave Donny also helped with as the sound engineer. Together TMC Records is gonna go viral. And tell Steph Simon if they know any writers/bloggers, let me know. TMC Records isn’t just another record label. It’s so much more than that. It’s a pride that’s being instilled in the school. It’s an outlet of creative expression. It’s a program that can teach kids how to get into the music business and not be used by the music business. This program isn’t just important to the students, it’s important to the school, to the community. It’s teaching you that you don’t have to leave Tulsa to be a star. Because Steph Simon said it best. “Tulsa Niggas Rule The World”. So, the next time you’re in class and you think that good music doesn't come from Tulsa, that student that's making the honor roll could also be the one you're listening to YouTube or Spotify. 
I’m going going, back to back, to Atlanta, Atlanta. You see that’s not just a song I made up, I actually went to Atlanta for the first time sense my fifth-grade field trip. This time though I’m going as a grown man and even more curious to see how the city they call ATL has changed since my last visit. It was sort of a field trip this time also, just that this time I was there to go to one of the biggest black entrepreneur conferences in the world, Invest Fest 4! 
Invest Fest is an entrepreneur conference that is focused around black entrepreneurship that has been held in the city of Atlanta for the pretty much all four festivals. This year it was held at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, which is still relatively a new place and also a huge place. Invest Fest was created by the brothers of Earn Your Leisure, Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings, who have created one of the top-rated podcasts in the world that focuses on entrepreneurship. I was excited to be in Atlanta because it’s been a minute. Like right during the FreakNik years, but I was too young to see that much. And Atlanta is an expensive city. So to combat the cost a little, I decided to volunteer. The tickets were $250, so volunteering saved a little cash and it would force me to talk to people because if I’m being honest with myself, I’m reserved. There were also VIP tickets that ranged from $1000 to the lifetime VIP cost of $10,000, but my pockets are also reserved. lol. I flew out of Tulsa straight shot to Atlanta which was surprisingly only three hours. And as soon as I landed I played Killer Mike's Live version of "DOWN BY LAW" Let’s get to the reason why we’re here. How was it? It was BLACK! It’s how I imagine Wale writes his songs about black women. Black is Beautiful, Black is Gold. As soon as I walked down from my hotel elevator, I saw just how beautiful Black is. Men and women of all skin tones dressed to the nines. I mean dressed. From business suits to business casual, to Nike Tec jogging sets. No matter what people wore they, woorre it! This conference proved that not only Black Americans were there for information and networking, but all ethnicities were represented, and people from different countries flew to Atlanta to be apart one of the biggest Black entrepreneur conferences in the world. The meat and potatoes. That would be the conference sessions themselves. There were so many names that I could write paragraphs, Steve Harvey, 50 Cent, Ian Dunlap (I hate I missed his), Lauren Londen, X. Eyee (she stole the show, her talk on Artificial Intelligence really opened my eyes to it’s possibilities), Shannon Sharpe, T.I., those are just a few of the celebrity and standout people of the conference. But what I also found out is that the big names bring in the people, but it’s the smaller named entrepreneurs that are really in the trenches that really give you the ‘how-to’s’. It’s great to see a big name and see them talking and telling stories about their success, but a common theme that seemed to playout is that these entrepreneurs didn’t give you any game, just stories. But when you go to the small named entrepreneur, everyone had their pens and pads out because they were giving you step-by-step how to guides, they gave the game, they blessed the game, and surprisingly their sessions were packed. 
Circulate. That’s the only way I could explain the vendor marketplace. It was over 500 vendors all in this huge expo sized space all circulating money. There were health vendors, there were hair care vendors, there were Artificial Intelligence vendors, there were clothing vendors, every aspect of entrepreneurship needed to support your business was there. I promise you that it would be hard for you to walk through and not buy something. There also was the Earn Your Leisure booth that held their signature “Assets Over Liabilities” shirt. There was also The Marathon booth who actually bought the iconic Brinks truck. I always support The Marathon store, (their Black Friday deals are insane) so it was dope to see their Brinks truck and to be able to take a picture with it. And in All-Money-In fashion, they also gave away $100,000 Grant to a business, the business that won focused on juicing. 
Business in the front and a party in the back. By day the conference was all business and entrepreneurship. But at night that’s when you realized people didn’t come to just work, they were there to play as well. Invest Fest had a VIP Night that included a performance from T.I. and a private dinner. There was also an R&B Karaoke Night where that was cracking. Also, it was Atlanta. The night scene is whatever you want to get into, clubs, lounges, gentleman clubs, and everything in between. Atlanta is a city built on nightlife. My Final thoughts on Invest Fest. When you come, bring comfortable walking shoes. The facility is literally three football fields long, don’t sacrifice looking cool for comfort, you can do both. Don’t be afraid to go by yourself. I went by myself, my first solo trip, and as soon as I got there, I got nothing but inviting personalities all wanting to talk and network. Which brings me to my next point. Talk to people. People are there to network and you never know who will help you build your business or help take your business to that next level. So talk. Go to the small entrepreneur sessions. That’s where you’re gonna get the real cheat codes, the big names might get you to come, but the lesser-known ones are gonna give you the game because they are in the trenches. Have your elevator pitch ready, be able to describe your business because you don’t want to sound like that person who sells snake oil. Know your business and know it well. Spend with the vendors, the vendors have amazing products, I bought shirts, hair care products, took business cards, because it was truly a way to circulate and support entrepreneurs who took a risk and had amazing products and could tell you, and sometimes sell you on their products. Last but not least. See the city. I didn’t venture out to see all of the city but I felt welcomed to Atlanta. Should you go to Invest Fest. YESSSS!!!!  To people from Tulsa, LA might as well be Paris, because it seems like such a far-fetched dream to even reach there. But Steph Simon not only is reaching L.A., but he has the opportunity to be apart of a forty-day residency. Another artist who is also doing the L.A. residency is Sneak The Poet. Both Tulsa artists will be taking their talents to do something that seems so unimaginable, make art while living on a stipend in L.A. The stipend is cool. It gets them there and helps them live, but to maximize their experience they needed more funds, and that meant a fundraiser, which I went to on Sunday at the Skyline Mansion. Here’s what happened. The night was set with a really intimate setup with chairs lined along the main stage that reminded you of a tiny desk-like set up. dj noname. was the one dj spinning for the night and if you been to one of his events, then you know he knows how to rock a crowd. The stage also had the iconic backdrop banner of the Skyline Mansion. The stage had a keyboard, drum set, and multiple speakers set up. We're just setting the stage here. Before the show started, Steph and Sneak sat together on the stage to explain why they are going to L.A. and why this benefit concert was created: For Sneak The Poet, this L.A. residency will be used to make a film. It may be a low budget. It may be in non-traditional locations. But what it will be, is a Sneak Joint. A Sneak Joint has the vision to make something amazing with very little. But he’s not going out there blind, he has a network of friends already in L.A. which include actors, location scouts, and scriptwriters to help make the journey a little easier. He announced that having a routine down there is what he’s most excited about. Working out, writing, and filming being some of the activities mentioned. Sneak The Poet is an amazing artist who doesn’t perform as much, but trust me, his skills are as sharp as ever. He was a one-man show as he rapped some of his favorite tracks from the Akira album that was produced by dj noname. himself. Sneak was very laid back but confident on the stage. His style was smooth but sharp like the anime swords you see on T.V. He also mentioned that he was the only artist with a Loheim feature, and when Loheim performed he didn't do it on the stage but rather mysteriously from the side room to not be seen, only heard from the speakers was a jazzy voice singing the chorus. Take a look at Sneak's performance: For Steph Simon the L.A. residency will be an opportunity to create a new album called “Tulsa King Goes West”. What will make this album so special is that the production of this album will be using all L.A. resources. That means producers, engineers, recording studios, and shows. Luckily, he’s not starting from zero, he has the mentor of legendary rapper Murs to help him. He also already has nine beats for the album, and he’s even intending on making a beat himself. Now for his performance, it was Steph Simon backed by his wonderful band. It’s a reason he holds such high regard for them. It’s because they play off each other and complement each other so well. Steph played the composer as the band followed his lead adjusting real-time to certain requests while still playing. One of the highlights of the night was when he rapped his verse to “Shining”, which he actually rapped from Tate Brady’s kitchen, it was crazy to get the significance of it in that moment. Tate Brady's mansion was where the massacre was blueprinted, was now transformed and reclaimed by the people it was trying to destroy, also one of the best hip-hop albums in Oklahoma was created here. Hopefully Tate Brady is rolling over in his grave. Steph Simon expressed that his favorite song on “Tulsa King” is “Growing Pains” because it’s a reflection of success, and working, and of course the growing pains that come with it. He left us with this beautiful story about him and his daughter watching a caterpillar go into a cocoon, and how he never knew if the caterpillar made it or not, but he did see butterflies in his backward and wonder. Also, that nobody knows if butterflies actually fly in patterns because they know how to fly or is it just their growing pains. Watch some of his performances below: Again, the residency does provide a stipend, but this fundraiser was to help him create and do more. For Steph Simon this opportunity is a chance to become uncomfortable in a place that nobody knows his work and no one is biased. He wants to test his performance and his pen. For Sneak The Poet this is an opportunity to work with people and create in a place where the movers and shakers are, to see how a L.A. director lives. Both of them have 40 days and 40 nights to create, and from the Bible we know what can happen after that period. So go support them by giving to their fund. They also have merch for sale: hit up Steph Simon on IG: @stephxsimon To just send a donation to Steph Simon or Sneak The Poet hit them up on IG: Steph Simon IG: @stephxsimon Sneak The Poet: @sneakthepoet  One Aux turned 1 years old. That’s not an easy feat. The grind of having to facilitate an event is always a logistics miracle. But with community comes help, and that’s just what the folks at One Aux have done. They have created a community that is willing to help whether that’s with audio or that’s troubleshooting, or even grabbing chairs. One Aux is seeing the fruits of its labor in the form of a community that is building the change in music that they want to see. We had a chance to experience this change firsthand at their First Anniversary show at The Heirloom Rustic Ales bar in Tulsa. Details below. “Depression is your conscious saying fuck you. I don’t want to be this character anymore. I don’t want to hold up this avatar.” - Jim Carrey Admittedly there were a lot of great performances that occurred that night that included Kristen Ousen. Henry Roanhorse, Nathan Scot, Earl Hazard. SynthDom, and DJ $ir Mike. I was able to catch the last three performances of the night which I wasn’t disappointed. As I walked into Heirloom, SynthDom was just setting up. I remember his performance at the last One Aux event I attended (NOISE: THE REAL UNDERGROUND MUSIC OF TULSA), and my amazement at his setup. This time was no different, I was still amazed, but his rig was very different. This time it was this mahogany wood chassis that wrapped around the mechanical sync machines that gave them this acoustic guitar feeling. SythDom was in rare form as he warped different sounds like he was at the helms of the space station controls. There were times where this hard-hitting metronome took over time. I could see his emotions in every strike against the drum pad. The backing vocal was so expressive in its ability to go against the norms of what people would expect you to say that when it faded out it felt like this proclamation. SynthDom is phenomenal. If you know about One Aux then you know it invites all genres of artists even genreless artists. Earl Hazard is one of those artists that you can’t fit in a box because he can live in them all. This night was an example of that. Earl Hazard got on stage and immediately went into one of the hardest raps. When it comes to rap. He’s no doubt, one of the best. His words are sharp and calculated. What some don’t realize about Earl Hazard is that he also knows his jazz. His own pieces often resemble jazz musicians as he is able to scat on stage, also his beat selection is heavily jazz influenced. The rhythms and pockets that Earl Hazard raps in remind you of a Miles Davis, a great legend that is able to tell his story with his voice as his instrument. Earl Hazard’s performances are always very personal, which I and many others appreciate because even if it’s a free show, our time is the real currency. I think he takes this in consideration and wants to only put out amazing work. Which I’ve never seen a bad performance from him. Just watch the video and see what I mean. The last performer of the night was DJ $ir Mike. One of the best DJs in town. I’m not just saying that, check his calendar, he’s booked all the time. His musical palette is world-rounded as he’s able to play corporate events, to club venues, to bar mitzvahs, and to his origins of hip-hop. When people see DJ $ir Mike’s name on the flier they know that the event is going to have great music. So, when I saw his name on the One Aux flier, I was excited to see just what he was bringing to the table this time. What we got was a feast of mashups and unheard mixes created by him. He played this Atomic Dog and Beyonce’ mashup that was so cold that I was going crazy like “Yo!!!!!!” This is fireeeee!!!!. But what else would you expect from one of the best DJs in the state. His transitions are always so smooth that you literally are vibing to a track then by the time your ear catches the next one it’s already 20 seconds in. He’s good. Trust me. Next time you see DJ $ir Mike on a flier. Pull up. You’re singing or rapping or dancing the whole night. Happy One Year Anniversary to One Aux. It’s a community that was created to help the people and artists that had something different to say but no platform to say it. For those who never felt like they fit in the regular checkboxes. For the music that wasn’t this genre and never wanted to be that genre. This is the place for that. Whatever that is. It doesn’t have to be defined but it will be respected. There is so much more anniversaries to come for One Aux and the community that has been created. So come out to a show and support this amazing community of fans, artists, and musicians. You won’t be disappointed.
 What does it mean to be from the East Side? To be overlooked. To be undervalued. To be counted out before the game even starts. Growing up on the East Side puts a chip on your shoulder. Your thrown into this environment with so many different cultures that you even you have trouble knowing where one culture’s neighborhood starts and another ends. But that’s the East Side. That’s also the advantage of the Eastside. This past weekend 3 artists Doc Freeman, YungxHalloween, and Yung Qwan showed just what it meant to be from the East. Paying homage to the Beastie Boyz, the 3 artists did their own flip on the name and came up with what would become the Eastie Boyz. The SoundPony stage was set as hip-hop was in the building. The first up was the artist known as YungxHalloween who got on the mic and showed a side of the East. YungxHalloween has a sound that explodes with energy and emotion. Also, in his music he represents for his community and his Hispanic culture as he drops gems and terms that if you know, you know. At times he seemed to blend into both Rap and Rock n’ Roll, which is true to the Beastie Boyz legacy. Go check out his Instagram: @yungxhalloween Next up was Yung Qwan. I feel like Yung Qwan had this period of time where he was completely ghost from the scene. Coming off the highs of an amazing EP and the Fire In Little Africa project, it was bizarre to not see him out and rocking shows. This night he reappeared, but without his signature dreads. He stood center stage with a microphone in the stand. I can say that when it comes to the bars it was clear that he's still got them, but it was at the end of the song where you could see his change, as the beat continued to play Yung Qwan repeated the chorus with a pain that deepened with each repeat. “I cut the locs off, looked in the mirror, and found me”, I think Yung Qwan is in a new version of himself and it's exciting to see. His artistry is expanding before our eyes and his new project is gonna be crazy. Look out for that fa sho and go follow him on Instagram: @iamyungqwan The last performer of the night doesn’t need an introduction. You can call him Doc Free, you can call him Doctor Freeman, but just don’t call him not from the East Side. Doc Free has been reppin’ and waving the flag since his insurgence into the Tulsa Hip-Hop scene. His impressive resume’ has made him one of the most well-respected MCs (also a member of the Oilhouse collective) and also one of the most sought after djs that can rocks crowds no matter the genre. No doubt his dj skills have also helped him uncover some sampling gold. His words cut with this laser cut precision that only a doctor could. (go listen to Dr. No, he is so on target with this album, like if James Bond was spitting real life Spy shit.) This night the doctor didn’t need an assistant as he was his own dj while also spitting bars from behind the table. And when the music was over, he was gone. Lost in the nights bars he escaped to hit the j., after the completed mission. Go follow him on Instagram: @docfree918 The Eastie Boyz. It’s a showcase of the East Side’s best. Who knows if the next time it will be the same crew. Who knows if next time it will be on the Eastside. The only thing that matters is that the Eastside has some amazing talent. This night proved that it’s just started.  When you think of what’s underground and what’s considered indie, your first thought to come to mind is that hip-hop has so many underground artists, especially in a city like Tulsa. But that wouldn’t be true. If you look at hip-hop even here in Tulsa, it’s beginning to get the recognition it deserves. That starts with having acts at big venues like Cain’s or even the Vanguard. To be truly underground means that your genre isn't in these big venues and therefore you have to create spaces that go against the norm of poplar mainstream music. That sounds like Noise. Noise is a genre that goes against everything conventional and is definitely not mainstream. That sounds like what we witnessed on Wednesday night at the One Aux event at Noise Town. I know what you're thinking. What’s Noise? My answer would be, what isn’t Noise. Because Noise isn’t something that can be defined. It is more or less experienced. The first performer of the night NURTURANCE is a living embodiment of that. During NURTURANCE's set he surrounded by all these high-end pieces of equipment with so many different cords and outputs. It was as if he had a mini studio with him. He played each piece of equipment like a conductor making the machines play with a frequency that moved sound, while a projector displayed images of him and also silhouettes of people that you couldn’t quite make out. His performance was intense concentration but with a freedom, and at times he would lean over to a controller with vertical wires and literally bend the sound. Now that’s Noise. The next performer was GOLDIELXCS. GOLDIELXCS has performed in both R&B and hip-hop heavy events, but this time seemed different. This time felt like the unstructuredness of the genre gave her the freedom she was looking for. Her performance proved just how wide the spectrum of genre of Noise is because it was completely different than the first. Her music was so soulfully unstructured. GOLDIELXCS used a beat making-like setup to play looped sounds. It was as if her voice carried in this spatial spacing that transcended her into different places in the room. At times she would pick up the mic and go into this short vocal backing of the track almost she was there to back up this moment in time as an alternate timeline in the multiverse. She’s played with a comfortably that let you know. I’m the shit. This is my Noise! The next performer of the night was SYNTHDOM. His setup was so grand that everyone marveled at it. One of the audience members began to calculate all the pieces of equipment and how expensive it is. This is the mothership. This is the setup that artists with lower end equipment's try to mimic. And it showed how just wonderful it was when the first synth progression played. His set started with a backing drum kick that he then layered different drums, cymbal clashes, and synths on top of. He was the master of his setup and at times looked like a mad scientist jumping from sound to sound. To a rapper at times, it sounded it feel like being in the studio with a producer who is making the beat from scratch. And true to the genre of Noise. It’s not how it starts. It’s how you feel in each moment of the performance, and with SYNTHDOM, no two moments were the same. The last performer we caught that night was ACESHOOTMEDOWN. That’s a long ass name. Unexpected. Sort of like the performance though. She got on stage with only her phone that was bluetoothed to the stage's sound system. ACESHOOTMEDOWN started rapping! What!!! But that’s Noise. It’s unexpected. She had bars as she took the stage with a bravado and stage presence that let everyone know that she was the shit. Her music was probably the most structured of the night as we grounded ourselves, knowing that we personally were in our element. We know hip–hop. ACESHOOTMEDOWN seems like a student of hip-hop as told through her stories and song structure. I’m looking forward to seeing her again and where she takes her music. So, there you have it. Noise. Unorganized Noise. To an outsider it may seem like an AV club convention with the AV carts and monitors and all the cords. Just the sheer electricity alone separates this genre into something that’s different. But what we learned is that Noise is a community that knows each other and is supportive rather than competitive. It’s a genre that feels more improv than the programmatically structured predictable styles of mainstream music. It seems to focus more on bending sound than adhering to it. Lastly, Noise is more than the sound that it makes, it’s more about the experience that it creates that audiences love. So next time you want to hear some underground music. Go listen to some Noise, the genre that’s underground!  When you’ve been in the Oklahoma music scene for a while you start to notice the trend. In the beginning it’s these old artists, that people know and respect and have pushed the culture forward. Then there’s the middle-aged artist that have been doing music for a long time, but you start to see outside influences take their time away from the music such as relationships and kids. Finally, you have the young artists. These are the artists that haven’t been jaded by life. These artists don’t have much money but what they do have on their side is time, and a fearlessness to get their music in front of anybody and everybody who will listen. As J. Cole put it, “I was like a young Simba, couldn't wait to be the king.”. Last night embodied the young artists that are waiting on their turn to take the throne. The Don of New Era, a fitting title for the nights festivities was filled with the upcoming artists in Tulsa. The new era of kings, which included performances from Crigga, Wxlon, Savvy Kray, JediahKO, Uncle Jay, Shay Breezy, ABK, and JuiceBox. You might be wondering how these artists all came together. It was a collaborative effort from all the artist plus The Underground Collective, Sharpside Trent, and also DJ Alive on Arrival. Admittedly I didn’t catch all the performances, but the performances I did left a lasting impression. My biggest surprise of the night was Uncle Jay. I didn’t expect for his music to be that good. And it was so versatile. He was able to turn up with the crowd and also have some vibey chill music. The crowd was moving to his music which showed that he’s on to something. Make sure you follow Uncle Jay (@unclejaymakesmusic). The next artist that really caught my attention was Wxylon. Of course, because of his looks he’s going to get a Kid Cudi comparison. I would also say he also draws comparisons because of the way his music seems to draw in people. By the time he got to his second track the crowd had already surrounded him and were holding on to every word. But he’s not only a rapper, he’s also a producer who produced some of the tracks that were performed by artists sharing the same stage. Maybe that makes him more Kanye, but mostly that makes him an artist. You are definitely going to hear more from him in 2024. Make you follow wxlon (@wxylon) Last but not certainly least is an artist that has been going for the thrown ever since I first seen him at The Soulbody Cyphers American Idol style contest. JediahKO. It seems like from time I first saw him he’s done nothing but go up. When we talk about artists that can bring a crowd, it’s definitely JediahKO. He’s been one of the most consistent and most booked artists this year. The music just speaks for itself. He has that part down. The versatility to go from hard hitting bars to love songs embody what it means to be an artist. He has a comfortability on stage that shows and he can move the crowd. He is also on our mixtape “The Purple Tape Volume 1.5: The Purple Flee” where he delivered a dope performance on his song “Samson”. The price for JediahKO is going up in 2024. Make sure you follow JediahKO (@jediahko) Advice: It’s important to know that when you’re young, you can still learn from people who’ve been there and done that. In my case I’ve been to 100s of shows. So here are some things I would tell all the artists. The first major rule is: DON’T RAP OVER YOUR LYRICS. This is what separates a rapper from an emcee. Trust me, you will be able to do so much more with your performance by not rapping over your vocals. The second tip is: Learn breathe control. With being an artist there is so many bad influences but one thing you have to do is to be able to rap rap for over 10 minutes, and the only way you can do that is learning breathe control which takes most likely, training. But it goes a long way to not be wheezing trying to catch your breath and still be mid-bar. My last tip is: Network and work the crowd. You never know who is at these shows, so don’t just leave after your performance. Stay and network because it might be the person who books shows looking for new talent sitting right in the audience. Or it might be an artist looking for more artists that want to perform. Your network equals your net worth. LITERALLY!!!looking A bonus tip would be: Put your music on BandCamp other some other site where people can buy your music rather than solely streaming it. Trust me, the bags bigger. And get some merch. That's a whole bigger bag. All in all the night had some amazing talent. Too much to highlight. I can’t wait to see these kings grow and take the throne. But the unique thing was that this group of young kings who all had their own palaces, for one night joined under the same banner. Will it ever be done again? I sure hope so. Because these events are important. And the thing we can do as music lovers is support these young kings by going to their shows, liking and sharing their content, and of course, actually buying their music. Not just streaming it. But actually, buying their music. This is how they invest in their craft and get better, And when they finally do claim the throne still, we need to support them, because kings still need support at the top. Ask Simba!  Hip Hop 918 has become one of those events that happens every year that celebrates the culture, the music, and the artform. I know, it’s crazy to see right? Who would’ve thought that Hip-hop would’ve lasted 50 years. More importantly, who would’ve thought that Tulsa, Oklahoma would be the place to celebrate it and bring some of the creators to a town they’ve probably only heard of recently during the Black Wall Street Massacre Centennial. But Hip Hop in Tulsa is happening, and now it’s clear to see, that Hip Hop is getting it’s time in the city they call 918. Next, we got a glimpse of the new school of hip-hop artists that have the potential to blow up from Tulsa. These students/artists are from the McClain High School Music Program that is taught by Tulsa artist Steph Simon. These kids are truly learning from G.O.A.T.s, And in a short amount of time, they’ve gotten amazing opportunities such as shooting their first music video 4929 (click to see the video), which an ode the address for the school. They also are getting the opportunity to perform on this stage. A huge jump for a first performance. They got to cut their teeth in front of hundreds, you could tell they were living their dreams, and that they had a ways to go before they were truly ready. But some people practice, to get in shape, and some people play, to get in shape. And they were there to win. The performance reminded me of the Wu-Tang posse’ cuts where at anytime there would be 10+ members on stage, all with their own unique swagger. These young artists are talented. But if I had to put on my critique hat for one minute. I would suggest that they not perform with their vocals. We want to hear YOU! But still they're still learning and have one of the best teachers to help them along their journeys. They're gonna figure it out.  One of the best things about the night was getting to see this musical roulette where 4 artists in particular (Jeezmino, K,O, Yung Qwan, and OTS J Huncho) took turns rapping their songs. Starting with Jeezmino, who did what she does. That's rap, rap. She left no doubt that she has bars and is one of the baddest in the game. Every time she steps on the mic, she commands the stage and her respect. With a beat or without a beat you're gonna here her. That's just how sharp her words are. They cut deep. Next was K.O. What else can you say about K.O.? She’s one of the most versatile, lyrical artists in the state. If you were looking at how much she is booked you probably would think she has to be from Tulsa, or at least OKC. But she’s from neither. She’s from Enid and she reps it loud and clear. Loud and clear is what grabbed the audience's attention so much that there were these audible for “ohhs” from the crowd because of a bar that hit hard. And that’s what you’re gonna do when witness a K.O. performance. Then we get to Yung Qwan. Yung Qwan came out of nowhere with his new fade instead of the dreads we’ve known him to have. His song selection was dope, even coming to perform his latest track “Rocket Man”. I think all in all it was a good performance. But if I had to put the critique hat back on. I would say that rapping over his lyrics took away from his performance. For example, Rocket Man seems like it has a lot of emotion that the performer needs to get across to the audience. But when you’re hear two different voices (the vocals from the track and Yung Qwan) who are not on the same tempo and sound completely different it’s easier to pick out the mistakes from missed notes and the wrong vocal pitch. It put the microscope that much more on his performance to spot the blemishes. But he's a great artist that can fix that. Last but not least in this rap roulette was the KING OF THE APES! OTS J. Huncho. His performance was the one that hit the hardest. I mean to see his growth from his first performance to now, is like night and day. When he first started performing, he used his backing vocals as sort of crutch, he had all the bravado, but that couldn't excuse the fact that to be the best rapper as he claimed, that he couldn't rap over his vocals. But now he’s flipped it and used his backing vocals to his advantage to help out with catching his wind and also to switch things up. He's realized that when donig a performance it's not just spittin bars, also there's showmanship. And that's what OTS J Huncho is incorporating in his shows. It's exiting to see this young rapper mastering his craft and rapping straight bars about the town he's from living in. He is the one. OTS J Huncho. After the roulette was finished another M.C. grabbed the mic. Marcel P. Black. An artist that exudes everything it means to be an M.C. And if you know him then you probably have heard his motto: “Real emcees don’t rap over vocals”. And true to his motto Marcel P. Black performed in pure hip-hop fashion, controlling the crowd with his voice. He even had the crowd 2 stepping to his song. Now if that ain’t an M.C. than I don’t know what is.  Another veteran that came and rocked the stage was Dangerous Rob. His performance more than anything showed how deeply rooted he was in Tulsa hip-hop, as Playya 1000 gave him a dope introduction about being there since the beginning. His performance also showed that he’s a marketing genius as three members of his entourage handed out Dangerous Rob branded shirts, of which the crowd ran to catch and also background workers held up signs. It's clear to see why he's been doing his thing for so long. He even performed his latest track "I Luv You", which showed that the veteran still has a lot left to say.  When you talk about Tulsa Hip-Hop there’s no way you don't mention Steph Simon. He’s been the one in the trenches with the machete clearing the path that soo many artists are now walking behind. He’s not only rapped next to your favorite rapper; most likely he’s booked them. Now if that isn’t a Tulsa King than I don’t know what is. Which is exactly what his accapella freestyle was about. Being the Tulas King. And as he said in the chorus, “Tulsa Kings run the world and Tulsa queens run the world”. From Steph Simon’s first song, to his last, he moved the crowd. He was in his Best Mood. He’s clearly in his 100,000 hours of practice and it shows. It’s his commanding presence, and his ability to move the crowd that moved the legend Eric Sermon to speak to Steph Simon after the show. Cause Steph Simon Is Hip-Hop. Last but definitely not least was the legends EPMD (which stands for Erick and Parrish Making Dollars) made up of the rappers Erick Sermon (“E Double”) and Parrish Smith (“PMD”) and DJ Diamond that hell from Brentwood New York. This is where our hip-hop lesson begins. But not where it ended. Because throughout their performance, not only were they playing their hits, but they were also teaching lessons. Lesson 1. Pure New York Hip hop. Say we don’t rhyme over vocals. As noted earlier in the article. It's doesn't help. Lesson 2. Hip-Hop means you have a dj. And it was with this lesson that DJ Diamond showed his mastery of the turn tables by scratching and even doing various tricks while the spotlight was on him. And last but not least. Lesson 3: Never forget the ones who came before you. EPMD ran thru some of the most classic Hip-Hop tracks, that no matter what generation you’re from, no matter what side of the train tracks you’re from. You respect it. Cause it’s Hip-Hop! So that sums up Hip-Hop 918 2023. You can’t tell that you don’t have a reason to go next time. It’s a free event that celebrates one of the biggest genres in the world. And you get to see some of the legends in the game do what they do best. Hip-Hop. Just as important, you get to appreciate the amazing hip-hop scene and artists that we have right here in Tulsa. Continue to support these artists by showing up to their shows and buying their music and merch. And by the time that the next Hip-Hop 918 rolls around you’ll be a believer that Tulsa IS SO HIP-HOP! |
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