1.)    Artists are capable of being “real people”: I know that the stereotype for many artists is their lack of being approachable. Some of the bigger names have to deal with paparazzi so much that they are heavily irritated. However, many of the stars at the A3C are independent artists. Many of them don’t even take into account how many people have heard, or love their music. Some are happy that you even recognize who they are.

2.)    Jamla is the future, or the very recent present, of independent hip hop: With a roster filled with good (if not great) talent, 9th Wonder struck gold with his label. Artists like Rapsody, Thee Tom Hardy, Skyzoo, The Away Team, and Halo (one of the most underrated out there) is making this label take shape. Plus, with R&B artists Heather Victoria and Tyler Woods, 9th’s ear for talent is becoming a prominent situation in music. 9th has proven to be more than a producer.

3.)    People need to support independent artists more: I understand that people have this affinity for major label music (Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Eminen, Kanye and anybody else that I forgot to name). However, independent artists deserve their time in the sunshine just as much, if not more, than their major label counterparts. Seeing people rock shows with no frills, no fireworks, and just pure raw talent and energy was a great thing to witness.

4.)    Big K.R.I.T is a breath of fresh air: Shaking the hand of someone you are a definitive fan of is one thing. But having a conversation with a man that THANKS YOU for blogging about their music and making people aware is another. The sheer unpretentiousness that he exudes is either the best act this side of Broadway or he’s just a humble soul that feels blessed to make music.

5.)    Action Bronson is a comedian: Action Bronson is a Queens rhymer with a penchant for food related foolery in his rhymes. His performance, though, suggests that he has a wide range sense of humor. From coming out to 80’s R&B jams to making fun of himself in his rhymes, some don’t know if they want to clap, cheer, or laugh until hyperventilation. Big Boy is hilarious.

6.)    Hip Hop isn’t “a black thing” anymore: Don’t get this comment twisted. While hip hop was created within the confines of African American poverty creating an amalgamation of all things that made other music great with added poetry, hip hop isn’t “black” anymore. After witnessing the international stage that Friday (October 7, 2011) made me pay attention to that fact. It is international. It is multi-cultural. We, as a culture celebrating five elements of representation, have to understand that.

7.)    Homeboy Sandman is a performance artist: I noticed one thing that Homeboy Sandman was focused on throughout his show: crowd participation. His rhymes are always shifting and dynamic. However, crowd participation is the most important aspect for him when it comes to channeling energy.

8.)    You are liable to get a lot of freebies, especially if you are a blogger/writer: SO many mixtapes, REAL ALBUMS, t-shirts, towels, and other stuff. You name it and you will probably get it for free somehow. Giveaways, being a writer, and being at the right place at the right time usually allows this to happen. Speaking of which, I need to write reviews for a couple of those said albums.

9.)    The women come out in droves: If one was interested in eye candy and maybe their future wife to have their hip hop babies with, then A3C may have been the place to be. There were plenty of pretty women in the spot. Some were bloggers. Others were fans. But, in reality, many of them were looking really good. No hating. Just stating.

10.) It is an experience you don’t want to end: I seen many artists and fans post up about their A3C experiences. Many of them enjoyed it. Outside of different feature shows being cut short, I loved every minute of the festival. From rubbing elbows with Dead End Hip Hop to actually shaking Malice’s (The Clipse) hand and buying his book, the festival was worthy more than its weight in gold.

Check out STACKS Mag’s Youtube page for more dope footage from the A3C Hip Hop Festival!

Article written by Mark A. Harris, contributing writer for STACKS Magazine

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