Brooklyn Bodega's Show And Prove

"Is that The Company Man right there!?"

Slightly startled as I faux swagged out the cab - caught off guard by the sound of my moniker - I look up urgently to see who's shouting me out.

You see, most people call me J Hunte. Or Justin, as I'm known to my family and the government. And, although I'm accustomed to seeing The Company Man written in emails and all over The-Quotable, hearing it audibly and unexpectedly is something I'm not used to.

"Huh? What?...Who?" I muttered to myself, scanning the scattered faces littered outside of Williamsburg's Public Assembly. Its a beautiful Brooklyn night. Slightly cooler than the nights to follow. The type of night where people feel obligated to step outside for a quick nicotine fix. The type of night where non-smokers don't mind chilling with the fiends. Towering above a small collective stood the six-foot-five-inch Homeboy Sandman looking over at me with a welcoming mug.

Cooling in an early 90s purple Lakers Starter jacket draped over a black T-shirt fresh with a Murakami-esque cartoon face sporting a Louis-rag masking its mouth hanging on top of his marine-green cargo pants, Homeboy Sandman has become somewhat of a mayor of NYCs underground Hip Hop scene. His gregarious personality and passion for The Culture, along with his envious work ethic and lyrical ferocity, has garnered the respect of fellow Emcees, fans, industry-types, and the like.

Its impossible not to gravitate towards him. You want to like him.

Who else would shout The Company Man out?

We politic for a few as 'Boy Sand splits time texting and chatting it up with a slender cat rocking Malcolm X glasses, Brooklyn Emcee Fresh Daily, and a naturally beautiful brown skinned woman to be named later. The cue comes through his hand held - Mr Beatz is about to hit the stage. Brooklyn Bodega's April "Show and Prove" is about to jump off. Time to go in.

Husband and wife tag-team, Wes and Ebonie Jackson are the founders of Brooklyn Bodega, an online blogazine carrying the torch for Hip Hop since its 2006 inception. Brooklyn Bodega is the mind share behind the beautifully expanding Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. The 5th Annual BHF takes place June 18th through June 20th. The Main Day is held annually at Empire Fulton Ferry State Park in BK's Dumbo section. Ghostface Killah, KRS-One, Lupe Fiasco, Big Daddy Kane, Blue & Exile, Homeboy Sandman, Little Brother, Kidz in the Hall, CL Smooth, Chubb Rock, DJ Premier, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera have all graced the BHF stage years past. This night's event is the second leg of the Bodega's "Show And Prove" series taking place at Williamsburg's Public Assembly on March 19th, April 16th, and May 21st. Each night's winner becomes a finalist for the right to rock as the opening act in this year's BHF. Westchester Emcee Mr. Beatz, Fat Beat's own Brown Bag All-Stars, and UK Born Cymarshall Law are competing for the crown tonight. Stakes are high.

Mr. Beatz

So the five of us traipse through the dark corridor leading into the spot. Theres a five dollar cover charge tonight but the doorman stamps us through without question. Obviously, since The Tall Man is performing later, they are exempt from paying the toll. Me? I slide through with the crew and get stamped for free. What else would you expect? I'm walking with The Mayor.

We round the corner headed into Public Assembly's backroom just in time to catch Mr. Beatz at the beginning of one of his off-the-dome-live sets. He's decked more throwback than hipster (rocking a rather conservative white-T with a 'microphone + MPC = Mr. Beatz' image emblazoned across the front, black hat, and dark jeans in direct contrast to the colorful contingent filling the venue). Although this is The Company Man's first Mr. Beatz live show, judging by the crowd, the start could’ve been smoother.

But it was all love, still.

Beatz transitions into his crazy nostalgic single "Plain and Simple", immediately reclaiming the crowd. A Dope dope track (the video's cool too). He wraps with a trunk rattling, base-heavy cut that I can't seem to find online anywhere...But the hook goes "Mr Beatz is an Emcee / Movin' on the MPC" (or something close to that. Like I said, I can't seem to find it online to verify) in homage to his dual hat as both lyricist and beat maker. The track knocked. The crowd felt it. Neck snapping spread like subprime mortgages throughout the venue. The nastiest part was that last verse where he stumbles through the rhyme as if he forgot the lyrics then brings it back on time for the return of that ill hook..."Mr Beatz is an Emcee / Movin' on the MPC!" Dope shit.



Brown Bag Allstars

My homegirl Enid arrives just in time to man camera duty for the next contestants - Brown Bag Allstars. Hailing from different regions of the country, J57, Koncept, The Audible Doctor, Soul Khan, DeeJay Element, DJ E Holla, and DJ Goo all met through NYC’s ubiquitous Fat Beats record store (where the crew works). That’s right, these dudes run the shop by day, rock the mic by night.

4 Emcees. 3 DJs. Ample stage presence. Virulent energy.

BBAS bum rushed the audience almost instantly after hitting the stage. Set opener “Step down, we step up / You let down, we next up / Who the best now?? / Brown Bag, GET UP!” and the contagious “Gimme the Booze, Gimme the Booze (in a Brown Bag)!!” coerced the crowd crunk. I mean, these guys were all over the stage – weaving in and out of each other physically, sonically, lyrically, in sync, and on time. Impressive. Even their between track adlibs were dynamic enough to engage the crowd while guiding us into the next song. Unfortunately BBAS didn’t rock their anthemic “League of Intoxicated Gentlemen”, but so far they have to be the front runner for tonight’s competition. Their combination of energy, showmanship, lyricism, and crowd involvement is built for the live audience. And if I’m organizing a Hip Hop Festival, or any other live performance in any genre anywhere, that is the first thing I'm looking for.




Cymarshall Law

The crowd thins briefly as BBAS exits the stage. Heads need to drink something. Heads need to smoke something. Heads need to step out into the tranquil evening and recap the first two-thirds of tonight’s semifinal. Enid and I snag the opportunity to slide stage right for an up close view of the third performance, England-born, NJ based, Cymarshall Law.


Cymarshall has been in the game for a minute. He's already released two full length LPs (Hip Hop in the Flesh, and Hip Hop in the Soul (review on the way)), toured the UK and the eastern US, and received Rookie of the Year honors from Sucio Smash over at WKCR's 89.9 Squeeze Radio (2004). For an artist as established as he, competing in "Show and Prove" seems a bit out of place. At the same time, its a signal of his love for the craft and hunger for The Culture. And that you MUST respect.


Decked in a black, red, and white Addidas jacket, jeans, and a black hat tilted to the left, Cymarshall opens his set by calling four women on stage for an acapella rendition of "A King With 4 Wives" - an ill extended metaphor about the four wives in all of our lives (Body, Possessions, Family, and Soul. Wife number 1? The naturally beautiful brown-skinned shortie chilling with 'Boy Sand before the show). Packed with energy and animation, this is clearly the night's most creative opening set. And to be honest, his entire set was packed with energy and animation. So much so that, by the time he reached the end, his Addidas jacket was tossed to the side, hat turned backwards, sweat pouring from his dome, and he's rocking with two mics! Cymarshall is a lyrically clever emcee - and his live show is a direct translation.





The Wrap Up

Tonight was a good night. The music was great. Each act brought its A game. The weather was the best its been in months. Brooklyn Bodega assembled a quality array of talent. Asking for more is straight Bernie Madoff (greedy).

Plain and Simple.

And although Mr. Beatz and Cymarshall Law all came tight, The Quotable's money is on Brown Bag Allstars. The crew's highly energetic live set and crowd command is bred for rocking live shows. Theirs is the type of show that the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival is now known for.

A perfect fit.

And with that, I leave you as "Show and Prove" left us...with another hype performance from The Mayor, Homeboy Sandman.











****Editors Note: Brown Bag Allstars would go on to win the April 16th Show and Prove semifinal and will compete in the finals against Children of the Night and the winner of the May 21st semifinal. Congratulations to the crew.****

Carry on...

Election Day Running Blog Pt 1

November 4th, 2008. 9:41AM.

Just sat down behind my desk in my 10 ft x 12ft glass office that now feels less like a place of business and more like a den of punishment (think OZ-like prison cell. Only with more sunlight). My current discontentment for corporate america preceeded the recent economic crash by 6 months or so, but on this day, I awoke with an earnest sense of 'Hope.' Hopeful that a positive political strategy defeats the fear tactics and unilateralist policy we've trumpeted over the past 8 years. Hopeful that Obama wins by wide margins. Hopeful that McCain will return to the 'straight talk express' he rode for 20+ years only to abandon it for Bush-like fear mongering in a soul-selling attempt to win an election. Hopeful that the middle class will once again be the barers of the bounty, the focus of fiscal policy. Hopeful that Sarah Palin becomes little more than a political punch-line, or trivia question.

Hopeful that the this election will prove to be proof that America's turntables might wobble, but they won't fall down.

Hopeful that work won't suck today.

THE ELECTION DAY RUNNING BLOG

9:48AM

Text from Karmen: "I have been in line for 45 minutes and haven't moved an inch"
Return Text: "Si Se Puede"

9:53AM.

EP called while standing in line to vote at a Harlemworld elementary school (PS something or another). She's been at her precint since 8:30...lines extending out of the building. Normally voting lines Uptown arent' this long, but apparently 'Hope' has hit Harlemworld, and the masses have begun to show-and-prove.

10:06AM

Noell calls in with her D.C. voting report. She was in line for 2 hours (7 to 8:54). Theres an honest excitement in her voice. Not only did she cast her ballot for the first black presidential candidate, but since Election day is a teacher work day in Fairfax county (Maryland), she also has the day off. Win-Win.

Noell: "It will be a completely different experience if he loses, rather than if he wins. Poor black people, latinos...there is a groundswell of lower income people who have hope. But if he loses, they will be so disappointed, angry, disenchanted, disenfranchised...it will be ugly. And if he loses, the voter turnout will be non-existent in the next election. I don't want to deal with all of the nonsense if he loses."

TCM: "Yeah, it will be painful. It will shake peoples faith in our electoral process."

Noell: "Yeah, and I want a black man to win. It will be amazing. But also if McCain wins...I dont' want him to be able to f*ck with my benefits, and my insurance, and...it'll just be ugly."

Seriously.

10:24AM

EP calls back. "I just voted! Oh, and by the way, they didn't check people's ID there. And this girl was there who looked like she was 14 - but she must've been 18 since she was voting - and 8 and a half months pregnant saying 'I've never done this before...can you teach me?' Should I tell the press or something? I mean, she could have been anyone. She could have been her mother or something"

Voter irregularity in Harlemworld? At least its on our side this time.

Maybe thats bad for Obama.

10:32AM

Text from Karmen: "I am surrounded by McCain supporters voting at Riverside HS. Yuck!"

10:44AM

First election results are in! Obama is declared the winner of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, defeating John McCain 15 - 6!

Dixville Notch (sounds like the main character in "Boogie Nights 2") is a tiny town in northern NH with a population of 75 people and is best known for being one of the first to declare its US Presidential Election results. Since 1960, Dixville Notch has held a middle-of-the-night vote, where all eligible voters gather at midnight in the Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, and cast their ballots. The polls are closed one minute later, and the results are broadcast to the rest of country immediately afterwards (FIRST!). And get this, there is an informal rivalry between Dixville Notch and other NH burgeoning metropolis' (Millsfield, Hart's Location, Ellsworth, Waterville Valley) for the recognition of being the first (FIRST!) to report its election results.

Now, not only is interesting for the Obama campaign, but also for the Democratic party. Dixville Notch has voted for the Republican candidate in each election since 1968 (when the good people of Dixville Notch supported Hubert Humphrey over Richard Nixon, 8 to 4).

Si Se Puede. Si Se Puede.

11:28AM

Text FWD from Yahnick: "They have a sign up sheet for volunteers to help Bush pack up his shit and get the f*ck out, Nov 5th. I put us down for the 3-8 shift..."

11:37AM

Text from Karmen: "Still here havent' voted yet"
Return Text: "Si Se Puede. Si Se Puede."

1:33PM

Back from an hour-plus-long meeting which also represents the first work done today. But on the up side, so far work hasn't sucked. Yes We Can. Checked my text backlog and received an update from Karmen at 12:43PM:

"Just finished"

3 hours and 43 minutes...longest time recorded on todays Election Day Running Blog. Now thats dedication. Not only did she wait almost 4 hours to vote, but she did so in the Republican locker room: South Carolina. Sure her vote is unlikely to count since SC isn't exactly a bastian of liberalism. Nevertheless, she stuck it out and staked her claim as a part of history. She'll have this story to tell forever, regardless of whether or not Obama wins.

I wonder if she would have waited to vote for Kerry? Or Edwards? Maybe Hillary.

2:03PM

My boy Devan emails:

"FED hires former Bear Chief Risk Officer. Whats wrong with this picture?"

2:10PM

Heading outside for a Black & Mild break. Wine is the new Regular. Tastes like Hooka.

2:35PM

This just in from CT. Sherese says there was no wait when she voted, "but her aunt waited an hour, and her girl waited 3 hours!...its worth the wait!"

2:44PM

My suddenly-arch-Republican homie, "JB", emailed this article to me:

Posted: November 04, 2008
12:48 pm Eastern

By Chelsea Schilling
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

Black Panthers blocked a doorway to a polling station and intimidated voters in Philadelphia, according to a Republican poll observer.

After one of two men wearing Black Panther gear brandished a nightstick to threaten voters, the poll observer called police.

As I walked up, they closed ranks, next to each other," he told Fox News. "So I walked directly in between them, went inside and found the poll watchers. They said they'd been here for about an hour. And they told us not to come outside because a black man is going to win this election no matter what."

He said he then walked back outside and the man with a night stick told him, "'We're tired of white supremacy' and he starts tapping the night stick in his hand. At which point I said, 'OK, we're not going to get in a fist fight right here,' and I called the police."

Officers escorted the man with the night stick away from the polling location, but the other person in Black Panther gear is a poll watcher and lives in the building where voters are scheduled to cast their ballots. He was allowed to remain on the premises.

A little backstory:

For the past 3 months, "JB", Sean P, and I have engaged in an intriguing, often anger enducing, running debate over The Election, the candidates, politics in general, whatever. JB (with the occasional input from his older brother) might as well be the Republican Elephant itself by the way he's co-signed his party's policies over the past 8 years - no matter how false history has proven them to be (Iraq's possession of nuclear weapons, for example). And Sean and I put on for the liberals.

Now there is a fundamental difference betweeen supporting a party and supporting the principles of that party. For example, its contradictory to say you agree with the way the Bush Administration has run the government while still calling yourself a conservative. Conservatism favors small, less intrusive, fiscally prudent government and the Bush Administration has recklessly spent tax payers dollars (fighting 2 multi-billion dollar wars while arrogantly cutting taxes, and borrowing money from other countries to float the bill) and sanctioned domestic wire tapping - just to name a couple. So when I say JB is a Republican and Sean and I are liberals, I mean he pulls for his team, and we pull for liberalism (regardless of whose effing up the government).

Now these conversations expanded from sporadic phone calls, to daily I-might-get-fired-due-to-chronic-misuse-of-company-property emails back and forth. Neither side would hesitate to blow up the others spot with a random factoid, or FoxNews/MSNBC 'breaking news' release, or Sarah Palin comedy routine (err...interview) just to prove the others' idiocrocy. After a while it got to the point where we were no longer debating viewpoints, but fighting each other. It became clear that nothing said would make a dent in the others resolve, but rather heightened each others sensitivities. The debates turned toxic and I've since put down the pipe. You vote your vote. I'll vote mine.

2 things learned:

1. I doubt I will ever understand the fiscal motivations of non-rich Republicans. To me its simple, Republican party policies help the rich first, and possibly trickle down to everyone else (tax cuts for the wealthiest 5% of Americans and Fortune 500 companies, for example). The non-rich are the last to benefit. The argument is that when you give money to the richest few, more jobs are created which helps the economy as a whole - middle class and lower class included. Republican commentators further defend this ideology by reminding us that wealth is not static -meaning that when wealth is given to one population, its not necessarily taken away from another population. There is no set size to the pie.

Fine. I get it.

But wealth equals Opportunity. And those with the wealth control the Opportunity. People don't want money because they like having pictures of dead presidents in their pocket. People want money because it provides the Opportunity for more stuff, more experiences, a perceived better life. When wealth is redistributed to the richest few (which is exactly what a tax cut for the rich is...wealth redistibution), you are not only providing them with more resources, you provide them with more Opportunity - in hopes that they find it in the kindness of their hearts to let it trickle down to the rest of us. True, the company with lower taxes may hire more people, but at the same time they control when they hire, who they hire, where those people who are hired will come from, what schools they will require, etc, etc, etc. And with an under funded education system (possibly inconjunction with a reduced tax revenue base to support public schools. Tax cuts?) Americans as a whole are becoming less competitive on a global scale. Which means that many of the best jobs available are not necessarily reserved for Americans. My firm spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year paying for H1-B Visas for international transplants. Sure the economy grows, but who benefits? The shrinking American middle-class?

Control the wealth. Control the Opportunity.

Non-rich Republicans control neither. Its as if they believe that they will be rich at some point in life and want to make sure they will benefit from the same system thats currently shafting them. Breaking news - Fiddy got rich. You'll die trying.

2. As much of a circle-jerk as the convos became, its still refreshing to vere from the usual debates about college football, 'whos' uglier', and scattered-ass. I don't know if its The Election capturing the global consciousness, or us getting older - but either way, its appreciated. I learned quite a bit from JB. And I'm better for it.

Pardon my tangent.

Anyhow, JB is back at it with this Black Panther report. The irony is that I'm not sure how to react to this story. I mean, for decades we've heard Democrats complain about voter suppression in swing states - putting armed, off-duty cops in predominantly black polling locations, or telling people if you owe taxes that you will get arrested if you vote as a means of keeping minorities from dropping their ballots. Now we have Republican's being intimidated by Black Panthers??

I guess thats whats poppin' in 2008.

Voter suppression is unconstitutional no matter who is responsible. But I can't front, it feels much better on this side.

Cautious optimism.

Cautious optimism.


3:13PM

Marcus dials in with a "Happy OBAMA DAY!!!"

TCM: "So what do you think? Does he pull it out?"

Marcus: "Obama better win. If he doesn't its a conspiracy. Brandie's been nervous all day. Stressing about it. Calling me every five minutes. Its like she's in love with Obama...Gotdamnit."

Marcus: "One of my [clients] asked me if I voted today. I said 'Yes ma'am.' She said 'I can tell your a young black man...don't vote for him because he's black...vote for him because he's a young smart man. Vote for him because you believe in his policies.' I said 'Yes ma'am, I believe in his policies'....it helps that he's black, though."

3:46PM

Text from Derron: "Rosa Parks sat so Dr. King could walk. Dr. King walked so Obama could run. Obama is running so our kids can fly."

I've never forwarded a text message before. This one might be the first.

4:13PM

Text from Marisol: "I just Baracked the vote - Yay!!!"
TCM: "Nice! How long was the wait?"
Marisol: "None"
TCM: "How do you feel?"
Marisol: "GOOD and I'm wearing my Obama shirt."
TCM: "Any resistence?"
Marisol: "Nah lol where I vote is Tracey towers ghetto as hell"
TCM: "Where chinese delivery man got trapped in an elevator?"
Marisol: "Yup lol"

4:37PM

I wonder what Mary thinks of all this?

4:47PM

Got this yesterday from my boy James. Finally watched it today.



Definitely a one time watch.

I still need to make a Youtube video.

Si Se Puede.

Si Se Puede.

5:15PM

Sean's sister Shauna sent this one. Much better than the previous.




6:19PM

Nearly a complete day of non-work related work. Headed back to BK to recharge before the Election Night party (the new phenomenon in the 2008 election season. People just need a reason to drink.

9:32PM

MSNBC reports Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Ohio in the bag for Obama.

HUGE.

I repeat in bold: HUGE.

Cautious Optimism.

Chris Mathews makes a good point about McCain's downfall in this election. The moment he stated that the 'fundamentals of the economy are strong' a week prior to the collapse of the financial sector, McCain essentially married himself to the Dubya's failed economic policies. Add that to his short-sighted Palin pick and you have an old, scattered, erratic presidential candidate who doesn't look Presidential.

McCain looks like a Ninja Turtle.

Minus the Ninja.

Cautious Optimism. Cautious Optimism.

9:44PM

MSNBC electoral talley: Obama 200. McCain 94.

70 votes to go with Democratic strongholds still open.

9:49PM

Tossing on the jeans, kicks, hoodie, and blazer. Headed to the election party. Looks like a throw down is on the way.

PART 2 ON THE WAY