The hip-hop showcase that happened Friday night in East Dallas was one of the better DIY rap shows I’ve been to in some time. Besides being right around the corner from my place, it was also a well-structured bill featuring The Outfit, TX; Blue, The Misfit; Buffalo Black, and a open mic portion. It was organized by Rico Slice, of K104.5, and 16Bars.xxx, a recent venture from the group that brought you Coffee Music Hub at the now closed club, Arnetic.
The event pulled in a solid audience, close to 100 before I left, as well as other Dallas hip-hop figures not performing, including Slim Gravy of A.Dd+, Dustin Cavazos, and others. Adding to the event’s overall appeal, the show was free and was giving out beer and water, with donations encouraged. I spoke to Slice for a while between open-mic performers and he said he was going to make the event a monthly occurrence, with the hope to bridge the different hip-hop sub-genres and their respective fan-bases together. It’s a noble idea, and it may prove increasingly successful due to the venue’s location in a largely non-gentrified (as of now) neighborhood and a raw approach that will attract a younger audience that trusts the DIY atmosphere. Good luck to Slice and the monthly residence; it will be a nice change to the poorly marketed and homogeneous hip-hop bills popping up elsewhere in the region. You can see our photos of the event here.
It was a nice long weekend, but not long enough. Here are a few happenings to keep you going tonight: “Outward Bound Mixtape Sessions” downstairs at Crown and Harp will include everything Problem Dogg, a solo performance by Reece McLean, and an experimental folk set featuring a zither.
And of course there will be jazz at Amsterdam Bar, “Cool Out ” (upstairs) at Crown and Harp, and “Vinyl Tap” at Double Wide.
