THIS IS YOUR FREESTYLE BLAST #29

In this issue of The Blast, we celebrate Freestyle's Sold Out shows, and the Promoters that make it happen!

May 15, 2024

How can I encourage new Freestyle promoters to come in and take the reins, without proving to them that they won’t be wasting their time? That there’s still a ton of potential left and an opportunity awaits that will not only benefit them but the entire Freestyle community.

I can only do that by showing real-life examples of other successes, and trust me, there are quite a few.

So, who benefits from all this? Well, let’s start with our Freestyle personnel. The artists, producers, managers, agents, promoters, and others whose dedication to the genre has kept the music thumping for over thirty-five years.

Then of course we have the fans, Those whose love and loyalty to Freestyle have yet to cease. Who to this day turn up in droves to enjoy their favorite music as it is performed live by their favorite Freestyle artists.

Unlike athletes, we can live this life till our final curtain, because the fans don’t change over the years, they grow old just like we do.

What might change however are the venues. We all got our start in lounges and nightclubs, and as the popularity grew, we moved up into the theaters and halls, and now look at us! Major Freestyle concerts are popping up everywhere, from huge arenas to mega festivals. It still baffles me the amount of people that show up to these events.

Though Freestyle did indeed stand the test of time, I also have to pay tribute to the internet, as I believe that technology played an important role in not only helping to sustain the genre but also in its growth, and yes, it’s been growing, quite considerably in fact.

Look, I can go on about this forever, but this is still just the intro section, so let me close this off, and let’s get into the rest of The Blast!

Maestros Behind The Curtain

Hey Freestyle artist, I have a question. Do you celebrate when our Freestyle promoters win? I’m not just talking about the promoter who just booked you on his or her show, I’m talking about any promoter.

The fastest way of killing this genre once and for all, is by not supporting those who keep it alive. Hoping that a particular promoter fails simply because you weren’t on his or her lineup is ludicrous.

How many failed events do you think promoters will take before they call it quits? For some, it only took one! I know, I’ve seen it. If I try and recollect what promoters of today were around when I first started, my answer would be, only a few!

I have to admit though, I didn’t always pay it much mind, because another promoter always seemed to pop up and replace the last. But now, things are seriously changing.

The only reason we’re still in business is because new promoters stepped up and took over. But for how long will they be around, and when they too decide to call it quits, who will replace them?

Let me be clear. I am not referring to the Big Boy promoters. They’re here and they’re crushing it. But they might also outgrow us, in fact, some of them already have.

And though we’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to do their major concerts and festivals, the true lifeline of Freestyle, at least in my opinion lies in the hands of the much smaller promoter. Those doing the nightclubs, theaters, amphitheaters, and banquet halls on a more regular basis.

These are the events that can keep it going throughout the year, keeping the bed warm in between those bigger concerts.

When those major Freestyle concerts pop up, realize that they are only hosting at most, maybe twelve artists, and that might only be once a year. And if another pops up, those 90 to 120-mile radiuses that they insist be on the contract, will allow us, if we’re lucky, probably just two concerts in that area.

Those huge concerts are wonderful, and I am blessed to have acts that get on all of them, but once those shows are over, getting back into that market within the year becomes a struggle. The mentality that smaller promoters have is that everyone already saw you, so why bring you back?

Smaller promoters also feel intimidated about competing with a major event, and so the market can remain stagnant for quite a while. This sort of thing can be the ultimate kiss of death for Freestyle, so we need to seriously rethink it, and possibly encourage a different narrative as to why following the big shows with the little ones might actually be a great idea.

The mentality of the Freestyle community, mainly the artists and managers, really needs to change. We have to root for them all. We have to share their post, like and leave comments. We really do, because at this point in our careers, being selfish is going to do nothing else except put us all out of business.

Hey, I get it, we’re human, better yet, we’re artists, and competition is in our nature. We want to win all the time, and when we don’t we hate it, hate ourselves, our competitors. In fact we hate the world, at least for that moment!

Jealousy is a primary characteristic within the artists, regardless of the art. Whether you’re a singer, dancer, writer, or athlete, there is nothing greater than winning and nothing worse than losing.

We dream our entire lives of being successful in our chosen art, but unlike other occupations, simply getting by won’t cut it. For the artist, losing too many times can cost us our dignity, our pride, and even worse, our careers, and the same stands for the promoters.

So from this point on, let’s challenge ourselves! Start by liking an event that you’re not even a part of, or better yet, one that’s a competitor. It won’t be easy, but I can promise you this, you’ll feel better about it, and proud to know that you are a “Real” contributor toward the success and longevity of Freestyle. So, before I end this. Shout-out to all the promoters. From those, a bit more established to those of you just starting out, keep up the great work…We got you!

WHEN TICKETS FLY

How can a genre that has been written off as dead for so many years still sell out a two-thousand-capacity venue? Well it did, and in a little ol’ town called Swansea Massachusettes!

Yeah, I’m sure for some, two thousand people may not seem like a lot, but nearly four decades later, I find the accomplishment quite impressive.

It all took place on May 3rd, 2024 at a venue called Venue De Milo, oh, and did I mention? This all happened on a Friday!

It featured a lineup that included artists David Torres of Nice & Wild, Tonasia, Joe Zangie, Rockell, Angel OCG, Coro, and Stevie B. With the night’s music spun by none other than The Bad Boy Richie Rich

The minute this show went on sale, tickets began to fly, and I had the privilege of a front-row experience as the booking agent for promoter, Paul Lopes of Entourage Productions.

The Bad Boy Riching Rich/ 2000 Freestyle Fans. (Photos Courtesy of **Captured This)**

Paul is still relatively new to the Freestyle game, though not new to the world of business, as he’s been running his own successful one for most of his life.

Every day Paul would call me, excited about another hundred tickets that sold. His event was seriously crushing it, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

Massachusetts along with the rest of the New England states are huge Freestyle markets, and therefore having the right person in place is extremely important for our genre.

Though it was great that I got to highlight this particular event in this month’s Blast, the opportunity to use it as an example of what a successful Freestyle event looks like, made it that much more exciting. And though Paul no doubt deserves the recognition of a job well done, he’d be the first to tell you, “I couldn’t do it alone!”

Another great thing that happened that night was the presence of Director Maria Soccor, and her incredible film crew, who came out to capture footage for her Freestyle Music: The Legacy, documentary. Make sure you follow her on social media, and support this history-making project that she’s been so passionately pursuing.

The power of a great line-up, with artists hand-picked by the promoter himself and chosen specifically for his audience, is proof that in every market there is a formula, and figuring out that formula is a major step in the promoting process.

But once that audience is in the building, assuring them a wonderful experience is what will determine that promoter’s level of greatness!

You see, a successful event isn’t based only on the number of people you pull in, but rather how many of them will return when you decide to do it again. These are the things that will make a huge impact, and every detail must be given its own time and attention.

Stevie B / Rockell (Photos Courtesy of **Captured This)**

from the parking lot to the line entering the venue. Security, service, as well as the vibe, must be intentional and well thought out.

Many of us are aware of the successes of those larger arena-held Freestyle Concerts. These places pack in thousands of fans and host massive lineups that feature some of Freestyle’s biggest artists.

But an event like the Freestyle Madness and others that offer a smaller and more intimate setting should be taken just as seriously, if not more so.

David Torres / Tonasia (Photos Courtesy of **Captured This)**

You see, Freestyle didn't start in those huge venues. It began in clubs and lounges. Places where the artists were able to connect with their fans, nurturing what can now be considered a loyal and lifelong relationship.

If this was the foundation where Freestyle as we know it was built, then from this foundation also shall it continue to grow.

Too many artists base the level of their careers on the size of the venues they perform. And though there may be some validity in that assumption, the true key to the longevity of their careers as well as the legacy they’ll one day leave behind will certainly derive from the level of relationships they built with their fans, and the generations it’ll transcend.

Coro / Angel The Original CoverGirl (Photos Courtesy of **Captured This)**

A twenty-minute performance as one of a dozen or so artists on the bill, with hundreds of feet between them and the fans, is, without doubt, a surreal experience. But the true measuring stick lies in the artist’s ability to pull their fans in on a smaller and more personal level, no matter what market they visit.

So as the lights dimmed and the last beats of the night faded away, it became evident that the success of the Freestyle Madness, Spring Love Tour at Venue De Milo on that memorable Friday night in Swansea, Massachusetts, extended far beyond mere ticket sales. It marked a triumphant resurgence of a genre once deemed dormant.

And so with each beat, each note, and each joyful face, the legacy of Freestyle music continued to resonate, proving that its rhythm still pulses with life, thanks to the unwavering passion of its fans and the commitment of those who bring it to life.