Check It! An Open Mic Night - 12/14

Jitters. Butterflies. Sweaty palms, weak knees, “arms are heavy” — Good thing I said no to my mom’s spaghetti.

Yes, I was nervous, to say the least. Something I didn’t consider to happen for years, but I took a lead of faith and made it happen. I started plottin’ and schemin’, took a few months — and several migraines — but, finally, I organized and hosted my first open mic show.

Okay, not so much a traditional open mic set up, but how else to build an audience and following? Artists were able to register prior to the show. I even did some digging and found a lot of talent. My first show, I did set it up as a showcase, but man, were these people talented. For future shows, artists will be able to sign up before AND during.

Let’s get to December 14th.

First up is Al Primo, 21-year-old kid from Elizabeth. I featured him on my short promo-run for the show, "Check It! A Cypher." When you first meet him, he appears to be timid. Key word here is “appears.” You peep that, don’t let him fool you. When he gets in the zone, face packs a lot of attitude and so do his bars. Showing range through slick bars and tongue twisters, Primo is talented and definitely not afraid to talk some shit. Follow him on Instagram @al_p_casso, and stay tuned…he’ll definitely be back.

Next up was Awilda from Fair Lawn, performing her poetry for the very first time. This girl is something else, I tell you. Performing a poem about insecurities and being lonely, then following up that with a rather raunchy, descriptive joint. I see you! Had the crowd going crazy, sounded like they were reminiscing about their own backseat-loving memories.

Third to perform was Benji Gillian. Now, this kid definitely had the crowd’s attention. He was another feature from the promo-run “A Cypher.” Benji said that night “These niggas ain’t ready…wait till ya see it.” And he was not wrong. He came with the ill bars and an old school flow. He had the crowd bumpin' right along with him. Follow him @benjigilliganofficial_ and check out more of his music on SoundCloud.

After a short break, we had Stacy J from Wallington. Typically known for her singing, Stacy came out to perform her poetry for the first time. Another spoken word baby who turned it around and had the crowd feeling it. She passionately spoke of her own life and finding love. After being misled and heartbroken, she took a leap of faith. She worked through her insecurities…and well, check out the rest of her story above. Follow her at @_unique_beautyx3, and check her SoundCloud out. Stay tuned because she’ll definitely be back.

On deck, we have A.M, from Hackensack. Slight reminiscent of early Kid Cudi with a new era spin on it, A.M. was definitely in his zone. He speaks of his upbringing, the struggles he had to face, and how he overcame those obstacles. Follow him @a_m_o.g.r_.

My next performer comes from Englewood, TZAR. He’s another feature from “A Cypher,” and one of the guys I was most excited about. A dedicated soul, TZAR laid out his heart in his bars. As he laced up a couple of classic beats, he offered to the crowd different sides to him. He begins on an introspective note, thinking of his past actions and how they have affected his future. Then we go from pensive to grimy as he trashes his ex. He spits bluntly those dark thoughts we are all thinking. And from the crowd’s reaction, I’m not wrong. He transfers from hating his ex to begging for forgiveness. TZAR ends with a heartfelt tribute to his grandmother over the RZA-produced “All I Got,” originally by Ghostface Killah. TZA pays homage to the strongest woman in his life. While facing her mortality, he reminisces about past memories, as well as how she affects his future. Emotion right there in his words — TZAR’s set was gripping from beginning to end. He doesn’t skip a beat.

Follow him @_dashawnedwards_ and check out his SoundCloud for more music. Hopefully, he'll grace the mic soon.

Next up we have Day Parkay from Englewood. Parkay is real. Polished yet real, his music is full of emotion - “pain music.” No one can deny the authenticity that resides within his bars, and this guy has bars for days. Parkay's set was fire from beginning to end, bringing his boy Joe Scrap to drop a few bars. Parkay and Scrap were features on the promo-run "Check It! A Cypher." Relatable and straight to the point, Parkay’s words hit hard and the audience was definitely feeling it. He is a truly talented artist and he deserves the respect and recognition that his music demands. Salute to a real one.

Follow him @day_parkay and, with a new project on the way, check out his current tape, Ghost of Karl Hines. If you missed the first show, don't worry, he'll be back.

On deck, we have Christian, who emerged from the audience with such a powerful voice. He was a late submission that we, without a doubt, had to make room for. He is a true spoken word artist, whose emotions of pain and love revel in not only his words but his voice. You must stand at attention when he gets the mic as his presence demands your attention. Missed him? He'll be back for the January 11th show and will hopefully be a Check It! regular.

Last to go up was Iashia, my lovely sister. After much begging, she agreed to perform. If she held out long enough, I would've paid her (ha, you lost out). Her rendition of John Legend's "Ordinary People" was beautiful. Soulful, her added twist made the song that much better. She had the crowd's attention for sure, as they sung along with her. After her performance, Stacy J grabbed the mic and gave praise to Iashia's performance. She made note of Iashia's passion and talent. Stacy was right, Iashia is a rare and truly talented artist. Follow her @isthatiashia and check out her SoundCloud. She will be back January 11th for the next show.

After all the jitters, butterflies and Eminem-isms, the night was pretty good. All the things that could go wrong, well they went wrong and yet the night was a success. I honestly could'nt have done it without the talent, and the support of family and friends. Thank you guys so much! Follow @checkit_openmic and stay tuned for the next Check It! An Open Mic Night. Interested in going? Buy your Early Bird ticket for my January 11th show.