Brooklyn Hip-Hop (I thought this went up yesterday, sorry)

Why weren't there more Brooklyn MC's at this year's Festival or last year's?

that is a question that is asked of me and one I ask of myself from time to time. Last year we had Medina Green and a host of Brooklyn DJ's. This year we had Maya, Ralph, Kweli, Kane and Buckshot. Still the question is asked and I know why.

Brooklyn MC's have not been the focus of the Festival.

To be honest though that is not our mission. Our mission is to celebrate Brooklyn and Hip-Hop culture seperately and together. But still I would like to have more local MC's.

Listen, it wasn't for lack of looking. We had some good prospects that didn't work out because of scheduling or budget issues. But for the most part the cats we got submissions from were not in tune with our mission or simply wack.

The reality for me was that the disease spreading through Hip-Hop has infected the biggest crossover artist as well as the grimiest indie artist. Underground Hip-Hop has either become some surburban dissonance or minor league gangsta shit. I am not knocking either genre, they just don't float my boat.

Indie Hip-Hop has lost its edge and is simply falling lock step in with the status quo. Most of the local artists that interest me have either graduated to a different level of the game or simply rehashing their late 90's schtick.

But even as I write this I know the dope artists are out there and next year we are gonna work harder to find them.

to be continued...