“Despite any big name backers or sponsors, this

team was able to pull off this feat, which highlighted

local talent instead of booking bigger name out-of -town stars. And that was the magic. It very much

reminded me of what I saw in Chicago in 2007 —

in the Wicker Park scene specifically. A diverse

group of people of all races, ages and sexes

coming together in a peaceful manner to

take in the burgeoning local stars before the

rest of the world caught wind.

But even if some of the acts weren’t known outside

of the 317 area code, they still packed venues and

had fans going crazy and rapping along to every

single world. I was more than impressed, and as an

outsider looking in was a bit perplexed as to how

this could be happening without having a major blip

on the industry radar.”