This Is Your Freestyle Blast #54

From controversial questions to unfinished dreams

Another month… another Blast filled with the conversations, memories, ideas, and questions that continue to keep Freestyle alive long after many believed the genre would fade away.

This issue dives into something far deeper than music alone. We explore identity, legacy, opportunity, perception, and the complicated relationship between passion and reality inside the Freestyle community.

One story revisits a debate that has quietly followed the genre for decades… a conversation about the very name “Freestyle” itself. Is the label helping preserve the culture… or unintentionally limiting its future? Along the way, we travel through the history of the sound, the struggles artists faced behind the scenes, and the difficult balancing act between protecting a brand and evolving beyond nostalgia.

Another feature opens the door to one of the most personal and unfinished chapters of my career, a concept I truly believed could have changed opportunities for countless overlooked artists within the Freestyle scene. What began as a vision fueled by passion eventually became something far more emotional, complicated, and difficult to walk away from. Even now, years later, the questions surrounding it still remain.

And of course, The Freestyle Blast Off continues heating up as new challengers step forward in an attempt to try and remove Lanah Skye from her top spot, something nobody has managed to accomplish… yet. With every round, the competition grows stronger, the pressure grows heavier, and the target on the champion’s back becomes impossible to ignore.

As always, thank you for continuing this journey with us. The conversations may sometimes get uncomfortable. The opinions may differ. But that’s part of what keeps this culture alive, and The Blast, blasting!

Welcome to this month’s issue of The Freestyle Blast newsletter.

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FREESTYLE: SHOULD IT REMAIN… OR RENAME?

Freestyle… it’s the name of our genre. But where did that name come from? Who created it? That debate has been going on for as long as the genre itself has existed…

Truth is, in the beginning, there really was no “Freestyle.” Coming off the heels of Disco, and heavily influenced by both Salsa and Hip Hop, this sound was born from the Urban Latin youth of New York City… especially the Bronx.

It became the soundtrack of a generation. And yes, opinions on its origins may differ, but hey… this is my article, so I’m writing it from the way I remember it.

But when you hear the word Freestyle today… what comes to mind? Do you hear that raw Urban Latin sound? Or do you immediately think nostalgia?

Does the word Freestyle now automatically mean “Old School,” “Classic,” “Vintage,” “Throwback,” or even “Old Timer’s Music?” And if so… does every brand-new Freestyle song instantly get thrown into those categories the moment it’s released? In other words, does a Freestyle record develop musical Progeria overnight?

These are conversations I’ve watched artists, producers, DJs, and fans argue about for years. Heated debates. Strong opinions. And honestly, many of them made valid points. I just never really chimed in because I wasn’t sure where I stood.

I remember the years when Freestyle started losing its visibility. First radio stations stopped supporting new releases. Then clubs followed. DJs would skip over anything that even resembled Freestyle.

It didn’t matter if the song leaned more toward House or Hip Hop. If it was sung by a Freestyle artist, it got labeled and dismissed. If a known Freestyle producer’s name appeared in the credits, it got dismissed. And if the record carried the logo of a Freestyle label? Forget it. The song was dead before it even had a chance.

That’s when labels started releasing what were called “White Labels.”
For those too young to remember, these were promotional 12-inch vinyl records with no identifying information. No artist name. No credits. No label logo. Nothing. The only way a DJ knew what was on it… was by playing it.

At first, it worked. DJs loved the mystery. The possibility of discovering the next club anthem or breaking the next big record was exciting. Some of these records simply said TEST or PROMO on the label, and that was it.

But eventually, DJs caught on. More and more of those white labels turned out to be Freestyle records, or songs connected in some way to the Freestyle scene. What once felt exciting quickly became predictable… and annoying.

I’ll never forget being in a club in Pennsylvania during that era while setting up for a Lil’ Suzy performance. I watched a DJ throw at least a dozen white labels straight into the trash. I asked him, “They sucked?” He replied, “I don’t know… I didn’t listen to them.” That shit stuck with me.

Talking with DJ friends afterward, I realized this was happening everywhere. So many DJs had already made up their minds that if a record even smelled like Freestyle, it would be tossed.

So the next “brilliant” idea some producers came up with was trying to rename the genre altogether. They believed their Freestyle records were somehow different and deserved to stand apart from the rest. Unfortunately, the strategy backfired. By separating themselves from Freestyle, they also separated themselves from its fan base, its established market, and even its place on the record store shelf.

Oh, and hey, I’m guilty of that as well. Back in 1996, on my Stylin’ Free Records label, I released a compilation called The Alternative Dance Compilation. It was mostly Freestyle, mixed with some Trip Hop and Euro. Let’s just say… I learned the hard way.

The compilation barely made enough to cover its costs. But what it did give me was an education in music, business, and marketing. And being on the road with Lil’ Suzy gave me the opportunity to promote it everywhere we went. And as the years passed, I began understanding something very important: Never underestimate the power of a name.

A perfect example is Tina Turner after her 1978 divorce from Ike. She fought to keep the Turner name, even giving up royalties and assets to secure it, because she understood the value attached to that identity. She had built that brand with years of hard work.

Freestyle has faced similar battles over names for decades. Group names. Artist names. Brand recognition. Because whether we like it or not, names matter. Talent gets you respect… but recognizable names get people through the doors.

Over the years, several mainstream artists have released songs that sounded very close to Freestyle. People have mentioned Madonna. Recently I’ve heard Bruno Mars brought into the conversation. But the one that always stood out to me was Nelly Furtado. When you get a chance, listen to “Spirit Indestructible,” then imagine if that song had actually been labeled as Freestyle. Hmmm.

I truly believe it could have reignited interest in the genre. It could have reminded the industry of the sound’s potential. But because those songs were never connected to the Freestyle label, the genre itself never benefited from the association.

And that brings me to my point. My advice to the entire Freestyle community is simple: Leave the damn name Freestyle alone… seriously!

Changing it isn’t going to suddenly make people love us more. If anything, it’ll create confusion. And if you know anything about sales and marketing, a confused mind never buys.

This is an important topic for our genre, and my hope is that this article might spark some sort of meaningful conversation, one that would encourage us to reflect, ask questions, and think a bit deeper about the name of our genre and the role it may play in its continued growth, longevity, and success. With that in mind, I’d love to hear your thoughts, opinions, and perspectives on the subject.

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Back in 2011, I created a concept called The Magnificent B-List, a movement designed to spotlight overlooked Freestyle artists who still had talent, passion, history, and something meaningful to offer the genre.

The idea was simple but ambitious: combine a large roster of underutilized B and C-list Freestyle acts into affordable package shows that promoters could mix and match, creating opportunities for artists who had spent years sitting on the sidelines while also giving fans something fresh and exciting.

At the time, I genuinely believed it had the potential to reshape part of the Freestyle concert scene. Instead, it became the one project I walked away from before ever truly giving it a fair shot. And to this day… it still bothers me.

Some of you may remember The Magnificent B-List. Others may be hearing about it for the very first time. Either way, I wanted to revisit it here in The Freestyle Blast because out of everything I’ve created throughout my career… The Magnificent B-List may have been the one that got away.

Even now, my wife Angel, still brings it up from time to time, telling me that I should revisit the idea, and maybe even give it another shot, and though it has crossed my mind many times, the more I think about it, the further it pushes me away, and not because I stopped believing in the concept, but because I believed in it too much.

If you’ve followed my journey over the years, then you already know I’ve never been afraid to think outside the box. Whether people understood the vision immediately or not, I’ve always tried to bring fresh ideas into Freestyle in hopes of pushing the culture forward.

Projects like Stylin’ Free Records, the 2008 Freestyle Music Awards, my fragrance, Freestyle By La’, the reunion of The Original Cover Girls, my Freestyle Against Phonies campaign, S.A.L. featuring Lil’ Suzy, Angel OCG, and Lisette Melendez, the 14 books I’ve written inspired by Freestyle culture, The La’ Entertainment Booking Agency which represents some of the biggest names in Freestyle, and of course this very newsletter… all of it came from the same place… Passion! Passion for this music. The artists. And the culture that helped shape so many of our lives.

But you see, The Magnificent B-List was different. This one was personal. By that I mean, I had already spent decades booking Freestyle artists for club and concert events throughout the country. I’ve always maintained strong relationships with promoters from coast to coast. Long personal conversations had put me in touch with how they thought, what they wanted or were looking for, what they feared, and most importantly… what made them take those huge financial risks many of us wouldn’t even dare?

What I was also noticing over the years, was that, though these promoters were in fact taking those major risks, there was a sort of safety net that they usually kept in place, and that was by continuously booking the same acts over and over again.

We know the ol’ saying, that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!" Well that is the exact mentality most of these promoters have, and it’s understandable.

Promoters are not obligated to invest their hard-earned money into someone else’s vision. Promoters are not in the business to help us out. Their not in the business to promote us, to represent us, or give us a “shot” in any way. The only one that a promoter must answer to is his or her own self.

While a handful of our artists worked regularly, and for a premium, the rest of them sat on the bench, hoping to one day be called in to play.

This truly had nothing to do with talent, because if it did, I believe we’d be looking at a whole different scene. And though the popularity of their songs play a huge role, I believe that those great opportunities some got back in the day, set them up for the good.

Chasing your dreams while you’re young and still living at home is the opportunity that many take for granted. Instead of honing down on our crafts and doing everything that needs to be done to move us forward, we tend to slow down, feeling as if we have plenty of time.

But then we grow up, get jobs, move out, get married, have children and before we know it, we’re yanking that one strand of gray hair from our head. Now, all that luxury time is no more, and if we have even two hours in a day to focus on our craft, we’re lucky.

But that doesn’t mean our dreams died, because it didn’t, just that now it must share your time with a host of other responsibilities. Those dreams of becoming a successful artist, living totally off your talent has now succumb to more so that of a glorified hobby.

Some of those artists were quietly being labeled “B-List” acts, by promoters and fans alike, whether they realized it or not.

Now before anyone gets offended by the term, let me explain something. In entertainment, there have always been unofficial tiers. The A-List artists are the heavy hitters. The names you see on almost every major show flyer. The proven draws. The artists promoters immediately reach for because they know tickets will move.

How do I know? Because I’m a booking agent and usually one of the first people they call when they’re putting a show together.

Then you have the B-List artists. These are artists who are still respected, still talented, still recognizable, but maybe not in every market or at the same commercial level as the A-Listers. Many of them are brought in to help complete a lineup and add a bit more value to their ticket prices. They’re also more budget-friendly for promoters while still bringing professionalism, history, and fan support to the stage.

B-List artists are a very important part of the Freestyle community and should never take that term as an insult. I personally have worked with many of the so-called B List acts over the years and still do.

And then you have what some might consider the C-List. The term isn’t used that much as it, unlike the B-List may actually be an insult, as these are the artists who are still trying to work their way into the scene.

I don’t use the term C Artist, unless it’s followed by a slight chuckle. But in reality, what they are, are working artists. I don’t mean working as in, they got a paying gig, because there’s a good chance they’re not. But what I mean about working is, they’re working on their craft, and that’s there is nothing to chuckle at. In Freestyle, many of those “Working Artists” have been working at it most of their lives. Many are getting close to, if not already in their golden years.

They’re still dreaming, and it’s because Freestyle allows them that, and to me that has always been a wonderful thing.

Truthfully, some of these artists were barely getting offers at all. Sometimes the compensation wasn’t even in money but rather in transportation, a hotel room, free tickets, or simply an opportunity to sell merch and hopefully walk away with a few bucks.

And that’s where the idea of The Magnificent B-List came from. Because my vision wasn’t just about the B-List. It was about bringing together some incredible Freestyle talent, and combining them in a way that would add the value needed to get them on stage across the country where they can build their fan base, hopefully to a point where they can get out there on their own and for a premium. That was always my intentions, but unfortunately, not too many were able to see that.

The way it came about was, one day, I came across an online discussion where several artists were frustrated, complaining that the same artists always got booked while everyone else remained stuck on the sidelines.

Then one of them made a comment that genuinely caught my attention. I can’t quote it word for word, but it was something along the lines of: “If I had the chance to perform on the same stages as some of the legends, I’d steal the show.”

While some might look at it as being arrogant, I couldn’t help but look at it at a deeper level. I didn’t get arrogance from it. If anything, I got belief. Conviction. This artist wasn’t talking shit, he truly believed that if he could get on the same stage as our legends that he would steal the show, and others were agreeing.

That’s when it clicked. What if they were right? What if these artists simply never had the opportunity? What if they could win over audiences if they were finally placed on the right stages? What if Freestyle had been sitting on untapped potential this entire time?

And because I was already a booking agent with access to all those stages and promoters, I decided to stop talking and actually try to do something about it. Quietly.

The only person who knew exactly what I was building from day one was Angel, because she immediately understood the vision, and agreed, as she has always been a huge advocate for our artists, both established and non.

I came up with the name The Magnificent B-List not to insult anyone, but to claim the label only so I can try and flip it into something empowering. I wanted artists who felt overlooked for so many years to suddenly become part of something exciting and meaningful.

The idea was simple: Package these artists together. Build an incredible show around them. Tell their stories. Create a movement . Make the concept affordable and attractive to promoters, and then sell it!

I wasn’t trying to manage anybody. I wasn’t trying to control anybody. I wasn’t asking for exclusivity. I wasn’t trying to trap anyone into contracts. All I wanted was trust, that’s it, because I genuinely believed I could help create opportunities for artists who hadn’t had any in years. And for a moment there… I felt it coming together.

The roster was growing quickly. Artists were excited. and I was pitching that shit nonstop. The promoters were listening, and were intrigued, and I knew that the moment I got the first one to fall in, the rest would follow.

I felt that this idea wasn’t only going to change many lives, but that it would also change the Freestyle music genre as we know it.

I knew exactly what needed to be done, and I was willing to curve a large piece of my time to dedicate just for this. My wife knew that there would be no monetary gain for me, and that this project would indeed cut into my own livelihood, but she was good with it, in fact, she pushed for it, and every once in a while, she still does.

Most of the promoters I spoke to about it immediately understood the vision, and were already interested. Others were interested but hesitant. Nobody wanted to be the first to jump in. They wanted to see another promoter test it first. But I knew that all I needed was one. One booking. One successful show, and after that, the floodgates would open, and so… I went all in!

I started building marketing campaigns. Organizing dancers. Speaking to DJs. Planning road management. I started sending daily E-Blasts to over 80,000 email subscribers. Pitching the story behind the movement to everyone I knew.

I poured every ounce of energy I had into this project. To the point where I was actually neglecting some of my own guaranteed money-making opportunities because I believed in this concept that much. This project became my baby.

Then suddenly… things changed. The energy shifted. Phone conversations became awkward. Excitement started disappearing. Artists who once sounded inspired suddenly sounded uncertain, and began questioning me. I knew something was wrong.

Then one artist privately called me and explained what was happening behind the scenes. Someone was contacting artists one by one, telling them not to trust me. Convincing them that being labeled “B-List” was disrespectful and insulting, detrimental to their careers. Slowly but surely poisoning the entire movement from within, and it worked!

One by one… artists started dropping out, and just like that, the project collapsed, and damn… that shit hurt.

Not because of money. There really wasn’t much financial gain in this for me personally. What hurt was knowing how genuine my intentions were. No contracts. No hidden agenda. No exclusivity. No ownership over anybody.

I even linked artists directly back to their own personal pages during promotions because I wanted them to benefit independently from the exposure.

I did everything I possibly could to eliminate doubt. But in the end, trust was the one thing I needed most… and it was the one thing I wasn’t given.

For the first time in my career, I felt truly defeated. And what happened next made it even worse. Because after I officially shut the project down… The calls started coming in. Promoters from Texas. Chicago. Orlando. California. “Latif, tell me more about this Magnificent B-List thing.”

The seeds I had planted through months of nonstop promotion were finally starting to grow. Promoters were interested. Some wanted custom versions of the package. Others wanted to test markets immediately, and every single time I had to explain that the project was dead… it was embarrassing, because I had pushed it so hard, and I did so because I knew this thing had a real chance.

To this day, Angel still tries to convince me to give it another shot, because she feels that with the relationships and influence I’ve built over the years since then, that the concept could probably work even better now than it would have back then, and you know what, she might be right.

But fear doesn’t only come from failure. Sometimes fear comes from caring too much. From putting your heart into something so deeply that when it collapses, you don’t know if you ever want to experience that feeling again.

I’m not sharing this story to attack anyone or reopen old wounds. I genuinely hold no resentment toward anyone who chose to walk away. Every artist has the right to protect their career and make the decisions they feel are best for themselves.

But I am sharing this as a reminder. Sometimes great ideas don’t fail because they lacked vision. Sometimes they fail because fear, doubt, ego, and outside voices kill them before they’re ever given the chance to breathe.

I hope some of you remember The Magnificent B-List and, more importantly, now understand what I was trying to build. It was never meant to be a lesser category, but rather a celebration of talented artists who deserved recognition, opportunity, and a chance to grow. If your career currently finds itself on what some might consider the "B-List," never lose sight of your value. There was a time when I had tremendous faith in that category because I believed it represented potential, perseverance, and the future of our genre. I still do. Keep believing in yourself, keep working hard, and keep moving forward. Your story is far from finished. Good luck and I’ll see you at the top.

- Latif Mercado

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💥 Check Out This Video 👇😲

Nelly Furtado - Spirit Indestructible

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📣 ATTENTION

“The Freestyle Blast Flash 3” is now The Freestyle Blast Off! 😲

This new name better captures the true essence and vision behind the segment, serving as a launch platform for new freestyle music while helping artists and their teams with the tools, techniques, information, promotion, and motivation needed to take it to the next level.

This is more than just a name change… it’s a bigger mission, a bigger vision, and a much stronger commitment to helping launch the next wave of Freestyle hits.

NEW NAME. SAME PASSION. BIGGER PURPOSE.

Welcome to The Freestyle Blast Off. 🚀

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To all our Subscribers, Readers, Subjects, and of course our Sponsors, for being a part of this month’s issue of the Freestyle Blast Newsletter, Thank you all so much!
and until next time…
This was your Freestyle Blast!

Available Now

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Latif Mercado has been a part of the Freestyle Music scene for well over 30 years, as well as an integral player behind the genre’s continued success.

As a Booking Agent with a who's who roster of Freestyle Greats, as well as his managerial involvement with such industry icons as Lil' Suzy, Angel OCG, and The Cover Girls, rarely would you find a Freestyle event happening without Latif somewhere in the mix.

Latif loves hearing from his readers, answering questions, and sharing whatever advice he possibly can, so be sure to reach out, even if it’s just to say hi.

and please Follow Him Everywhere @LatifMercado

What did you pick up from this month’s issue? What would you add to the conversation? Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just soaking it all in, hit the comment button below and share your thoughts and opinions. Can’t wait to read it!

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If you have a Podcast that represents the Freestyle genre, let us know, we’ll love to feature you here.

Interested in having your Freestyle Podcast banner added here, contact Latif Mercado for more info