As I sit in Charlotte for a layover, I have had more and more time to think about why I love travelling so much. In the last year, I have tackled Austin, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans and Austin again this weekend. I attended SXSW for the second consecutive year, and plan on making the annual trip to SXSW going forward.
My reasons are simple. The minute you land in a new city with a Yankee fitted on, you are embraced immediately; I do not care where you go. The people want to know all about you, they love our style and our accent apparently; who knew? SXSW was no different than last year in this respect. In a radius of roughly six blocks, the streets were lined with live entertainment and revelers of all sorts, each with a game plan in mind. Flyers, CD’s and other promotional goodies are swapped, ideas are discussed and connections are made. My game plan this year, was to formally promote www.senecavillage.net, a virtual marketplace for minority and black owned businesses to progress and prosper; a site co-founded with Mr. Nice Tie, aka Petty Post. The site boasts talent of all sorts on a national and international level and is set up demographically. It is complimentary for up and coming businesses and talent and funded by sponsors. I dusted Texas with about two-thousand flyers; the concept was received well. Petty Post and I look forward to working with new talent and moguls in the making; their stories will be told on www.senecavillage.net and we encourage you to check it out. Another reason I love to travel, is the insight it offers you on your peers in the game. Who takes themselves seriously and who is just talking. This is important to me as it allows me to dismiss people before I invest too much time, energy, effort and money into situations that will ultimately go nowhere. It exposes one’s level of awareness on expanding brands and the value of promotion and marketing on a grander scale. I hate to admit it, but I find New York flooded with talent in an already saturated market; it makes it complicated to stick out. Conversely, out-of-towners are all dying to come to New York with the hopes of making it big. In my opinion, this is why “The New Yorker” is such a coveted visitor in other states. We offer invaluable insight as to what to expect and not expect from New York and the politics that come with the territory. New York was well represented. Some notables from this weekend were Math of the Vandal Hour, featured on DTF Radio Saturday nights at 11pm. He had a staffed table at Peckerhead’s, complete with step and repeat, cameras and marketing goods. He was in prime position to capture key footage of TI’s performance. Jack Thriller, a SXSW staple, held his annual showcase; the house was packed. What I enjoy most about Jack’s showcases is the variety of talent; demographically and creatively speaking. He is able to attract this caliber of talent because of his fan base; an investment worth every penny for the right artist. Torae and K.Fhox have been everywhere lately, so I wasn’t surprised to run into Torae personally; I didn’t catch up with K.Fhox but her marketing was all over the place. Choppa Zoe, of Money & Violence, was there promoting his music; his street team was in full effect. D-Teck of Konvict Music and Success of Atlantic Records were there to judge the Coast 2 Coast Showcases back to back on Friday and Saturday night; there was a great turn out of talent there as well. I ran into Kwan Lee of Kwan Lee TV; it has been a minute since our last encounter and I can see why. He literally had his hands full; one with a camera, the other with business cards. I follow his social media and see him working on quite a bit; consistently. I highly recommend him for your photography and videography needs. He takes himself and the people he works with very seriously; it is clear in his work ethic. In his company, we ran into Cortez, another New York native on a mission. Yannie, a personal favorite of mine for some time now, was in the mix like no other. She is an absolute powerhouse. I first met her through my work with Money & Violence; she is their publicist and a woman who wears many hats. Yannie is always surrounded by talent who are invested in their careers. This weekend she was with Phresher Dygz, a break-out artist from New York I’m also partial to. He tore the stage down with his hit “Wait A Minute”. I would be remiss if I did not mention Malcom X. He is also an artist, but filled the roll of hype-man in such a way, Spliff Star and Flavor Flav would tip their hats to. Chase Baker, D. Chamberz, Bad Girl Cris, the Popular Stranger, Berri Life and Twan Da Dude were also in Austin, however, I did not cover their shows personally. I am privileged to live locally to these artists and am well aware of what they have to offer. What I really went to SXSW for was to scout talent from out of town; I had my pick of genre and venues to say the least. The first act I caught, The Wistful Larks, was a Rock’N Roll Group from Chicago. I had just landed and had to hit up a familiar spot, The Nook, for my first Blue Moon; they were mid performance and their energy kept me in the building. SXSW was one leg of their tour on the West Coast; I look forward to more from them in the future. I happen to love John Legend’s “All of Me”, so when Paul and Julian were doing their rendition of it on the street, I just had to stop. This is part of the beauty of SXSW, literally every corner has its own vibe, complete with its own audience. You never know who you will encounter or impress, so everyone is on their A game. Press and media are key in this industry. I bumpd into longtime acquaintance Gray Rizzy, of Shade 45 and Sirius XM, on Sixth; he was a panelist this year. Essince and Brooks, contributors for Hip Hip Weekly, were there to push their newest medium, Royal Heir Magazine. While there promoting www.senecavillage.net, I made it a point to pick up every CD, flyer and business card I could find. I am currently listening to new music from across the United States; reviews will follow on an independent level. If you are an upcoming artist, looking to break out, this is the perfect opportunity for you. Planning and preparation, as with life, are key here. You should have your hotel booked by the end of the summer and your airfare handled by December 2017 for the best prices and hotel locations. The badges are expensive. I had one last year and opted to go without it this year; in my opinion I saved about $700.00. The key things to bring are business cards, the goods you are marketing, a street team and an amazing attitude. With that said, I look forward to seeing you next year.
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Fresh off my trip to New Orleans to cover the Global Spin Awards and All Star Weekend, I literally land and its back to business as usual. On February 28, 2017, it was back to live action at Prospect Billiard’s for the Mad Records Showcase, courtesy of Figga Face; I was privileged to host again. The evenings sponsors were Rah of “Trust No One” clothing; let’s just say that the ladies were very happy with his signature thongs. Our photographer, Unrated Ebony, needs to be rated; her work was impeccable. Please be sure to see her for your next event; reasonable rates and stellar service. Our DJ’s and I have a love/hate relationship; but let’s face facts, without the DJ, there is no party. Candidly, they don’t have an easy job, so I want to take a moment to acknowledge DJ Guttah and DJ Kid Phenomenal and all of the effort they put in; especially dealing with a high-maintenance host (me). For starters, I was still jet lagged from my trip, but I was looking forward to the showcase; fresh faces along with a few familiar ones. The last one had amazing energy and surprisingly, a nice turn-out of attractive women; this showcase was no different. Goo Goo Da Rambler, Burnaz Brigante, Choppo Troublez and Marvelous were repeat offenders. Honestly, I am biased as I liked them at the last showcase, and they stepped up yet again this showcase, in their own individual way. I love Goo Goo the Ramblers flow, and I was finally able to conduct a full interview with him; his story is as good as his music. He is family oriented and works with his brother C. Fire Da Rambler with respect to production and lyrics; very impressed to say the least. Marvelous is wise beyond his lyrics and sets the bar high. He has an inept understanding of the game and I look forward to following him this summer; mentally he is ready for the next level. I would like to see him collab with a producer that will push him even further. Choppo Troublez had music on deck that had the ladies and men bopping their head; his flow was fun and relatable. The crowd was definitely engaged and he had a fan base who knew the lyrics; very important. Burnaz Brigante, an artist I have been struck by since coming across him at Vic’s Music Hut, was business as usual. Fresh off his EP release party for “Son of Carlito”, he has been making his rounds at several stations doing his press run. The summer and fall of 2017 have several things in store for him and I can’t wait to see how things play out. Mari Bosciano had the best stage prescience of the night in my opinion. I ran to the ladies room for three seconds, only to come out and find him standing on a table; my eyes were fixed on him the entire set. I missed him at SXSW, but will make it a point to be at his next performance, so that I get the full picture of what he is capable of. Another gem was Chemetree, an artist introduced to me by industry insider, Craig Ortiz. Initially, I thought he had a quiet demeanor due to his tone during the interview; that changed immediately once the beat dropped. Confident but humble; I would like to see his stage prescience increase at his next set. I finally got to hear Sef Money; he released his new single that night. His set included Figga Face, so the energy was just different; they complemented each other. I felt his set was the most lady friendly; they definitely were feeling the vibe and tone he set. Curious as to what producers he is working with; I will be sure to get the scoop at our next encounter. The judges had a tough job, so I am glad it wasn’t on me to pick a winner. The evenings judges were King Luke, who performed at the previous showcase, as well as Woktronix; they had their work cut out for them. Ultimately, they decided on MOAF aka Young Famous Africans. His outfit was the first thing to strike me; very important when looking to separate yourself from the pack. His interview was well received and his journey was interesting considering he was born in Africa and came here in his teens; he was a refugee. He came with a supporting cast, which enhanced his set. He basically got everyone involved and have a pretty impressive set. I look forward to seeing him again at the next showcase, which is Tuesday, March 28, 2017 at 9pm; we look forward to seeing you too. Figga Face, creator of “The Mad Records Showcase” invited me to host his most recent event at the Prospect Billiard’s Café, located at 671 Prospect Avenue in the Bronx. It took place on January 24, 2017, my birthday weekend, so I just could not miss it. DJ Guttah and DJ Kid Phenomenal were on the turntables for the evening. As the host, I changed the things that I dread most about showcases; overbooked and mundane talent, late starts and early exits. Artists were encouraged to come early to chop it up with me prior to the show. The first thirty guests to arrive were given the option of a T-Shirt sponsored by Jamal Turner of Phetish Magazine or a gift card. Jamal also bought feature model Catorichai, of Mally’s Angels, out for the mixer. Luke and K5 opened the show, which is no small feat. “Regular Nigga Shit” was received well and I look forward to interviewing them soon; I am curious as to where they are from and what their motivation is. Sef Money, was slated to perform but rescheduled to the showcase on February 28, 2017; he was booked for a gig last minute. Bad Girl Cris, hailing from South Jersey, was soft-spoken, until she hit the stage that is. She was the first female artist to perform that night and set the mood for the evening. I had the privilege of chatting with MT Dollaz, someone I have been following since seeing him perform at Vic’s Music Hut. He hails from Harlem and is a family man who started writing while he was incarcerated; it proved to be the perfect outlet for self expression. His stage prescience is no different; confident, concise and creative, his bars leave a visual impression with his audience. Filthy Rich, is a rapper, writer and actor who frequents the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan. He and his DJ, The Official Mr. Rove are always on the go; I have been tracking their progress for the last three years, and I am always impressed. “Snap Chat”, “Fly Girl” and “Nights Like This” are just some of the songs part of his repertoire. On top of bringing his “A” game performance wise, he also treated the ladies to some “Spank Me” hats; just one of the ways he cross-promotes himself and the brands who sponsor him. Burnaz Brigante, another diamond in the rough I encountered at Vic’s Music Hut, is becoming a household name, at lightning speed. Burnaz, a blue-collar family man from the Bronx, has always had a passion for music but has taken it more seriously the last three years. His current project, “Son of Carlito” features “Brothers”, a personal fave of mine; it’s a play on the theme song from “The Wayan’s Brothers”. He has an EP Release Party scheduled for Friday, February 24, 2017 at the Prospect Billiard’s Café from 6-9pm. I look forward to seeing him perform and apologize once again for the disruption in his set at the showcase; his two songs were not played as scheduled. He will lso be on deck for February 28, 2017. TVR, also known as Blake Piffin, an alias I love for obvious reasons, had me hooked from the word go. TVR, an artist I have become familiar with due to his association with Burnaz Brigante, is a lyrical beast. Hailing from the Bronx, his cousins sparked his passion for music. His motivation, like most, stems from his urge to escape the perils of the hood. When asked, “Who would he like to work with?”, TVR responded by saying he “Would like to be high enough to work with BIG". That is one the most profound responses I have ever received in an interview; he made me a fan that night without question. There were a few individuals who I was unable to interview, but left stalking their social media handles in search of more. Marvelous, aka Mr. Marvel, was one such artist. Despite being a solo performer, his vibe filled the room; his lyrics and message were clean cut. During the brief conversation we had following his performance, we agreed on several points with respect to the lack of authenticity in Hip-Hop. The two of us would like to see more truth opposed to tales in the future. He promises to bring the heat, and I am looking forward to our next encounter. He was determined to be the winner of the showcase, due to his level of intrigue. I did not have a moment to sit with Goo Goo Da Rambler prior to the show, but must admit that his name already made me raise an eyebrow. As if we don’t have enough mumble rap in the game; as if we aren’t trying to get rid of what is currently here. So, when he grabbed the mic, I was shocked to hear a legible freestyle. When the music came on, his production spoke to me immediately; turns out he and his brother are responsible. I was extremely impressed with his aura; he was embraced by the audience. He will be back at the next showcase and I will be sure to get an interview; stay tuned for more details on this humble star on the rise. IProfit, from Queens, ventured into music at the age of three. He was one of five children, raised in a two-bedroom apartment. He was inspired by the struggle and has worked independently as an artist until now. He was extremely humble, yet his message kept true to the interview. His style of dress and persona spoke to me before he uttered a word. Choppo Troublez hails from the Northside of Queens and was inspired by his uncle at a young age. He performed later in the set and held his own; he was received well by the crowd and made good use of the stage. His flow was unique and his vibe was laid back. I missed the opportunity to chat with him following his set, but hear he will be at the next showcase and will be sure to chop it up then. Mark Will, was initially a DJ, so his understanding of the game is quite unique. Then, he found himself writing lyrics for various members of a group he was in. He realized his passion had found him as used his life experiences to inspire great work. He looks forward to working with Nas, 50 Cent and Future for starters. His passion and drive were apparent. I had a hard time finding him by himself to chat; the mark of a true networking guru. Some notable guests were Mr. Swag of “What’s Poppin” radio at www.iaxis.com as well as Kal Dawson, agent and brand ambassador to several household names. That night, Kal brought out Jai Jin, a nice break from the testosterone in the room. Rambo, who hosts X-Tremitiez Ent. on Niteline Radio, was also in the building. The evening’s headliner, however put the icing on the cake. Miss Meme, also from South Jersey, is someone I have been following for almost a year now. I came across her on IG through a hashtag; she was an artist after my own heart due to her marketing strategy and work ethic. She contacted me to let me know she was in town, and I could not think one anyone else better to headline the event. After all, I was looking forward to hearing my favorite song, “Nigga Wit Money”; Spliff Star, did a cameo in that video. She recently recorded “5 Days”, which boasts bars from Jadakiss. Young, eager and motivated, she was the first artist on set; she had her glam-team with make-up artist Tamela Jasmine on deck. Manager, Kera Anderson, was key in making the magic happen. Not only did she have the nerve to come with new music, she also brought out a special guest; Phresher Dgygz. DJ Cautious was on the turntables and as soon as “Wait A Minute” came on, the crowd went crazy. Miss Meme and Phresher stayed for some pictures and a quick interview. It was the perfect way to end a safe and eventful night full of talent. Be sure to check out the next Mad Records Showcase which will take place at the Prospect Billiard’s Café on February 28, 2017; tickets and artist slots are available on Eventbrite. I must admit, October was a blur. Fresh off my business trips to Atlanta for A3C and Miami for Revolt, I am so happy to be back in New York; after all, I was missing “Freestyle Fridays” at Vic’s Music Hut. Vic’s Music Hut, a fixture in the Bronx for music fanatics, expanded the opportunities for unsigned talent, by creating this platform. “Freestyle Fridays” was the brain child of the owner, Vic Marquez, and is held every Friday at The Hut from 7pm to 10pm; it boasts some of the rawest, most authentic and unvetted talent I have ever seen. The best part of these ciphers is that the talent is given three beats to rock over by the DJ, best lyrics prevail. Admission is $5.00 to spectate and $10.00 to preform; there is an additional charge of $20.00 should you require your own music. The sets are not drawn out and they run back to back to maintain a continuous flow; extremely important in this culture. In addition to the unsigned hype that have blessed the stage, Hip-Hop fixtures in Mysonne, Haddy Racks, Ricky Bats and Psycho Les have been on deck with feedback.
Other key notables are DJ NOE and DJ Kool Kid, marque DJ’s in their own right, as well as rapper, producer and club promoter Rob Salese. Carl Zumatto is the Senior Videographer and Editor and responsible for all content which can be found on the YouTube page for Vic’s Music Hut. My role has always been promotion, management and artist development, and I have my pick of talent to choose from. Some key notables that I know have my eye out for are Porsha Da Great, VIP the Artist, David Bars, Burnaz, Else G, Yabbo Sama and one of my personal faves, Good Look Seabrook; full reviews to follow. Bottom line, this is the best showcase in town HANDS DOWN with respect to cost, audience and networking opportunities. The venue is tiny so you are guaranteed to find a full house packed with tremendous energy. If you would like to attend, and more importantly perform, I highly recommend grabbing your ticket off of Eventbrite as to not be left out. I look forward to mingling with you this Friday; see you soon!! I have been in various facets of the entertainment industry for over ten years, yet 2016 is the first year I made it a priority to attend various music conferences across the United States. I had the privilege of attending the SXSW Music Conference in Austin, Texas this past March as well as A3C in Atlanta, Georgia and the Revolt Music Conference in Miami, Florida, both of which took place in October. SXSW was an absolutely amazing experience considering it was my first conference and I was unsure of what to expect. I booked the Hyatt six months in advance and it was extremely reasonable; I was within a 15 minute walking distance of the activities. This is one thing I would change next year as to minimize walking and cab fare. The airfare was roughly $600.00 for a round-trip, direct flight from New York; I could have done much better but this was booked two weeks prior to the event. The admission tickets vary depending upon what you want access to; they have three types of passes. I opted for the pass specific to music and was granted a press pass for $685.00; the prices are typically around $1,000.00 and are more expensive the closer you purchase them to the event. This was the 30th Anniversary of SXSW and it showed; they were well organized and things were seamless. Upon check-in, I was given a woven souvenir bag full of information about the week’s events and speaking engagements. The lectures took place at one location, The Austin Convention Center, however, the four blocks surrounding the center were full of venues with open mics and meet and greets. The keynote speaker this year was Michelle Obama; I missed her but heard she was phenomenal. My favorite part about the conference was how accessible everyone was. I personally had the privilege of chatting with Gillie the Kid, Relle Bey, Wale, Dave East, Lil Mama, Too Short, Manolo Rose, D. Chamberz, Jaquae, Cortez and DJ Enuff for starters. I ran into most of the usual suspects at an event organized and promoted by Jack Thriller; an amazing showcase. Another highlight was walking into the event sponsored by TuneCore; I walked into to have lunch and ended up being serenaded by Talib Kweli. SXSW is ideal for DJ’s, A&R’s, and management looking for new talent outside their demographic; I literally came home with music from all fifty states. I bought home the most music at this conference with over 300 CD’s to listen to and review; something I am still meticulously doing. The community was extremely involved and created the perfect environment for street team promotion; something that is key at these conferences. If you happen to be a social media or radio personality, the coverage opportunities are endless; I would recommend trying to coordinate interviews in advance when possible. With this conference, I garnered the most new music and met the most people. The next stop on my conference tour was A3C, which took place in Atlanta, GA and happened to occur during Hurricane Matthew. Let’s just say, thank God I booked Greyhound because flights were delayed and even cancelled. Greyhound ended up being a nightmare, but twenty-two hours later, I arrived from New York and I was thrilled to be there. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn for free based on my credit card points; my hotel was within a ten minute walk of most of the festivities. There were several conferences going on simultaneously to A3C and the hotels in Atlanta were completely sold out due to this. I highly recommend booking your hotel room at least four months in advance for the best availability and pricing. I also suggest booking a flight opposed to Greyhound when possible. If you book the flight well enough in advance, the bus ticket and the plane ticket are roughly the same price but offer completely different experiences; I will do this next year and keep my fingers crossed with respect to the weather. My ticket to A3C was $167.00 for the low option, and it granted me to access all three days of the conference. In my opinion, this pass is sufficient because the only thing I was not given was VIP access; I was fortunate to be there with several industry insiders, including Essince and Brooks of Hip Hop Weekly, and was able to gain access when needed. If I did not have this access, I still would have been very pleased with the pass for $167.00. It granted me access to events featuring Rick Ross, Too Short, Twista, Jermaine Dupri, Torae, Jaquae, Bone Thugs In Harmony and of course Spliff Star, to name a few. As with SXSW, the main stage was surrounded with smaller venues as well as thousands of music fanatics all looking to celebrate the culture or find the next big thing. With that said, this conference is great for either the new artist looking to be discovered, or the industry insider looking for gold; there was a healthy mix of DJ’s, new and established talent as well as management and executives. My street promotion was extremely successful and I made numerous connections there that will benefit me for years to come. This was by far, the best bang for my buck overall with respect to the three conferences. My most recent voyage took me to the Revolt Music Conference in Miami, the second week of October; this was the third year of their annual conference. The airfare, at $324.00 for a round-trip direct flight, was the most reasonable. I stayed at the Colony on 7th Avenue in South Beach for $400.00 for three nights. The events took place at one locale, Eden Roc hotel, which was located on 41st Street and Collins Avenue. I was not discouraged by the distance between the venue and my hotel as I used the walking time to handle street promotion and mingle with locals; however, I plan on staying closer to the venue next year. Yes, I said next year. I was honestly under whelmed with the turn out but attribute it to Hurricane Matthew, which hit Florida hard the week before, as well as the rain that was forecast for the duration of the conference. So, despite the turn-out, I am willing to give this another go because I want to experience Revolt in full swing and give my honest opinion on it next year. Additionally, I would like them to consider scheduling conflicts as the pool parties and speaking engagements were often booked simultaneously. The hotel, Eden Roc, was beautiful, and considering the rain, it was ideal that all the events took place here. I felt that most of the participants were A-List celebrities, media and management. I purchased the Social Circle pass for $620.00 which did not include the Yacht Party or any RMC panels, Break-Out Sessions or Keynote Speaking addresses. I arrived on Thursday night so I missed the "Power Networking" event as well as the “Be Heard” pitch session. I registered for my admission bracelet on Friday morning and was shocked to find out that all I got was a bracelet; no T-Shirt, promo bag or typed agenda to be found, which was extremely disappointing for the price point paid. I would also like to add that because the turn-out was not as expected, they should have made allowances to include all attendees at more of the events, with the exception of the Yacht party, which has obvious capacity standards. At this point though, I was on a mission to make the most out of my trip the best way I knew how; mingle. During my social escapades at the bar at Eden Roc, I ran into Relle Bey, Twan Da Dude, DJ Envy, Haddy Racks, Jim Jones and Lenny the Barber for starters. I ran into an acquaintance, Sunny, and was invited to watch Drink Champs live, featuring NORE and DJ EFN. The episode was taped at The Showroom by 8 & 9 and featured Jeezy; needless to say it was action packed and the perfect place to politic with like-minded individuals. The following day, while socializing at the Global Spin Award Nominations, I came across Power Moves Incorporated founder, Shawn Prez, who was smack in the middle of the action, working hard to ensure its success; it showed. I enjoyed the nominations and look forward to the Global Spin Awards in New Orleans during All-Star Weekend in 2017. I also ran into Lord Jamar at the GSA Nominations and as we walked and conversed, we conveniently walked into NORE and DJ EFN who were heading to another live shoot of the Drink Champs; we were invited to join the taping. This show featured Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles and Jadakiss; it was unbelievable. The content of this show should be viewed by anyone and everyone in the industry; I have a full piece I am working on based upon this show and look forward to sharing that in the very near future. The last night of the conference I missed, but Revolt honored Nas with the Jimmy Iovine Icon Award. Other notables for the weekend were DJ Khaled, Angela Yee, Andre Harrell and Julie Greenwald. At Revolt, I feel that I was able to connect with executives and A List talent on a more intimate level then at other conferences. In conclusion, I hope that this insight was informative. Prior to making plans to attend a conference, ask yourself three questions. Why am I going? What do I hope to accomplish while there? How will I execute the game plan? This will help determine what conferences are best suited for you. Additionally, please make sure that all of your social media, music, photography, websites and street promotion are well done with respect to visual and audio sound quality. I look forward to keeping you abreast of my next business trip, so stay tuned. As I sit here at the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Richmond, Virginia, during my two-hour layover, I have had plenty of time to reflect. I am on my way to Atlanta for A3C for the annual music conference; it is my first time. On the first leg of my 21-hour trek, all I wanted to do was kick myself for opting to take the bus opposed to flying. Second thought, this was not my first option, but poor planning and a thinning budget as we approach the fourth quarter, left me little choice.
I am sure A3C will be just as amazing as SXSW, and will write all about it once I get back; I will also follow up on SXSW from March now that I think about it. But this piece, this piece is about taking care of home first. I have always been self-motivated, hardworking and ambitious, so the entertainment industry is right up my alley. I have just begun my embark on a national campaign, thus my recent travel to Chicago, DC, Texas, Vegas, Atlanta as well as Miami next week all in the last year. I have come to realize that you cannot help anyone if you cannot help yourself; both physically and financially. Additionally, you need a team of like-minded individuals surrounding you. With that said, it has been challenging over the last few years. Various partners and outlets have come and gone and yet I have gotten stronger with each obstacle. My travels have afforded me insight from different nationalities and cultures and their opinions came in all hues. I have come to find out that I am someone many people rely on; I am flattered by this. In the same breath, I am exhausted emotionally and financially. I have now come to terms with my issues and understand I cannot assist everyone; why should I? After-all, if I was focused on myself, I wouldn’t be typing this sitting on a mental bench at a bus depot. A shift in my focus will be evident immediately. Now that I am aware of when and where events take place annually, hotel accommodations and travel arrangements will be booked well in advance. Events and performances will be mapped out and passes will be purchased in advance accordingly. I also plan on finding myself a travel partner to minimize costs and maximize promotional value; something you just can’t get enough of. Next, eliminate all of the non-sense; people, negativity, wasted time and dead-end situations. I have done an amazing job with this thus far but still have a long way to go. If a situation is not mutually beneficial, I cannot entertain it and neither should you. Television, sure, I have a guilty pleasure or two, but will make a point to keep it under three hours a week. Just imagine what you can accomplish with all of that saved time. Negativity and dead-end situations go hand-in-hand, I have found. People with negative energy drain a positive situation and must be released from your space immediately. They are unwilling to make the necessary changes to be successful and are constantly making excuses. Lastly, be sure that the company you keep all have the same goals and are motivated accordingly. There is nothing worse than mapping out and financing a project, only to find out that your partners are lazy, unconnected and waiting on you to take them to the top. This afternoon I had the privilege of taking my daughter to the "Girl Media Charity Event" in Queens, sponsored by Bobby Shay of "Let's Talk About It Media". The basketball court and adjacent park was packed and full of smiling faces. She had a special section for haircuts, and the kids were getting fades and line-ups courtesy of Master Barber, Rainier Rickards; he may be reached at 347-210-0322. I wish my bag was bigger because Bobby Shay had some unique vendors on deck. One of my highlights was Sassaries, who boasted the most unique shaped and colored sunglasses I have ever seen. Next, SPRKL Accessories' name speaks for itself; the bling was blinding. This vendor literally takes the cake for saving my life; Tastees Cakes that is. I indulged on chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes and chocolate covered pretzels. DJ Takeova was on the turn tables and made sure to keep things lively. The woman of many hats, Ms. Artistry, a personal fave of mine, as well as Heroes Headquarters (HHPOV) were there in the media capacity. It was an amazing event and I appreciate all the effort that went into making the vision a reality. Thank you Bobby Shay for all that you do for the industry, but more importantly our community.
The Fourth Annual Global Spin Awards were held at the Playstation Theatre this year on November 17, 2015 and hosted by Swizz Beatz. The night capped off an amazing weekend in the city, which started Saturday at the DJ Expo at Metropolitan West and featured the McDonald's Flavor Battle on Sunday at Orbit. The evening, much like the weekend, boasted some of Hip Hop's most influential icons. With a primary focus on recognizing the talents and roles DJ's play in the industry, it proved to be the perfect platform to recognize those who are the driving force in the entertainment industry.
Some of the big winners were DJ Self who won Hip Hop DJOTY, DJ Envy, who won, DJOTY, DJ Carisma, who won Female DJOTY, and DJ Whoo Kid, who won Online and Satellite DJOTY. Hip Hop royalty like Kurtis Blow, Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Red Alert and Timbaland were joined by the new generation in 2Chainz and Jaquae. The Lox graced the stage and honored Swizz Beatz on surpassing selling over 300 million albums. Special thanks to the creator of the GSA, Shawn Prez, for the platform and opportunity to pay homage to such talent. Reggie Hunt of PMI, and his supporting cast did an amazing job showcasing and honoring the nominees. The McDonald's Battle Fest was a nice addition this year as it displayed various styles and sets with valuable critique; most notably from Jazzy Joyce. The event was sponsored by PMI, McDonald's, Coors, Hennessy, and Revolt. The Global Spin Awards were broadcast on Revolt TV on November 24, 2015 at 9pm. Additional footage will follow courtesy of Block of "On the Block Report," and "Saturjays with Chef Nere" and is being edited as we speak. It will also be featured on the premiere episode of "Da Brunch Brunch"; stay tuned for additional details. On October 10, 2015, we had the privilege of attending the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March, organized by Minister Louis Farrakhan, in Washington, D.C. We were there to capture the essence of what exactly “Justice or Else”, the motto of the march, meant and the implications it would bring. We arrived at the Washington Mall and were impressed with the amount of supporters who were already gathered and organized despite the lack of media coverage promoting such a positive event. Several speakers articulated motivational words, words that hundreds of thousands of people listened to with baited breath. There was a minimal police presence and the event’s security predominantly consisted of members from the Nation of Islam. The attendees were well dressed, respectful, and family oriented; the majority of adults were sporting wedding bands.
When it came time for Minister Farrakhan to speak, a hush came over the crowd as he began to illustrate where we are and where we could be if we modify certain behavior. He spoke directly to minorities and warned them against promiscuity, drugs and depending on others for stability. He also encouraged education, the importance of family, and supporting one’s self and community. He wanted to be clear that uplifting minorities is not mutually inclusive of destroying whites. On our way back to New York, we took with us a sense of pride. After all, “Justice or Else” was up to us and action needed to be swift and focused. We could not wait to see how the media covered such a historic, positive and violence free event. I am not sure what was worse; the lack of coverage or the one-sided coverage that was minimal at best. One article, written by Richard Cohen of the Daily News, compared Farrakhan to Trump and paralleled them as bigots. He also attempted to shame those who were in attendance for supporting his platform. The only clear bigot in this scenario was the media outlets. Bigotry is defined as the intolerance towards those who hold different opinions than oneself. Media has taken every opportunity to exploit minorities and report events that focus on violence. Why not take an opportunity to show the World that minorities can organize in peace and without incident. If all media shows is minorities behaving badly, what is the motivation to encourage a change? If all minority children see is the negativity perpetrated through various forms of media, such as reality TV and one-sided news coverage, how will they know who to aspire to be other than what they see? Some of these children are lacking the family structure and education that Minister Farrakhan promotes; the foundation that would prepare these children otherwise. Additionally, during our time in DC, we had the opportunity to surround ourselves with amazing talent. We covered the Big Daddy Kane & Rakim concert at the Howard Theatre. We had the privilege of speaking with 3D Na'Tee and the Goalden Chyld as well as Vivid and Laquita. Feevaleo and Pesh My Rap Name were also on deck for interviews. Brunch was served at Ozio on Sunday morning courtesy of Chef JR Robinson and the Kitchen Cray Empire. With that said, we are proud to present coverage of our week in DC. 2015 has been quite the year for SaturJays with Chef Nere. January was kicked off with Jenna's birthday bash at Club Miami hosted by Salese. The press days we arranged for Reek Da Villain, Ron Browz and CHINX drugs were amazing. All Star Weekend at Stage 48, courtesy of Lenny the Barber, was the place to be. The Celebrity Stars Game at Baruch College courtesy of Edgar Burgos was extremely entertaining and star-studded. The AIDS Walk and "Books for Baseball" as well as "Books for Basketball" were some of the ways we chose to give back to our community this year. Things really took off for SaturJays with Chef Nere when we left internet radio in pursuit of airing edited shows via our website. We have had the privilege of shooting at The Gansevoort, Hilton Suites, Step In Restaurant and Embassy Suites to name a few. We are also proudly sponsored by N'Genious Clothing, Brii Combinations and BowTie Behavior. Chlotan Catering has also come into the forefront as the premiere in food an entertainment; he hosts all of our press days and has been featured in the Unsigned Music Showcases hosted by Will Stylz on more than one occasion. The Party Bus to Summer Jam was bigger and better this year and featured Money & Violence. We had the once in a lifetime opportunity to attend the 20th Anniversary of the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. and covered the Big Daddy Kane and Rakim concert at the Howard Theatre while we were there; an unforgettable weekend to say the least. The Global Spin Awards at the Playstation Theatre was a treat and filled with Hip Hop legends old and new; Shawn Prez and Reggie Hunt did an amazing job as usual with event. 2016 holds so much in store for SaturJays with Chef Nere. We will be working closely with GT Visionz, who will be behind the scenes filming and editing the magic; be sure to check them out. Our platform will be completely different in the New Year as we will be featured on Da Brunch Bunch; please stay tuned for details. As always, we appreciate your continued support and wish you all a Happy and Healthy 2016.
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Jenna A. HercheA native New Yorker, Jenna has been in various facets of the entertainment industry for over twenty years. Her newest venture is media. Be sure to stay tuned for her perspective on the industry and the politics that come with the territory. CategoriesArchives
March 2020
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