THIS IS YOUR FREESTYLE BLAST #3
So to whom do we owe the biggest thanks?
What’s up Freestyle Freaks, and thank you for grabbing another issue of the brand new Freestyle Blast Newsletter. In this issue, I shine a bright light on who I consider the four very important entities in our genre. the Artists, the DJs, the Promoters, and of course the Fans, and what they’ve meant to me and my career.
The comment section is always open, so anyone who would like to share their thoughts, be my guest.
Also, if you haven’t already, please Subscribe to this newsletter, it’s absolutely Free and your subscription will guarantee you a copy sent directly to your inbox the moment a new one is released. So with that said… let’s dive in!
What is it about our Freestyle artists that keeps them looking just as great if not better than they did back when they started?
40s, 50s, and a few in their 60s, back in the day, those ages would’ve easily been seen playing rocking chair grandparents on TV, but today the only thing these artists are rocking… is the stage!
But what is it? Is it the music, the dancing, or that Latin cuisine that most of us grew up eating? and I’m not just talking about the ladies, ‘cause the fellas are looking just as fly!
Back when many of us were in our 20s and 30s, we talked about what the Freestyle market might be like when we hit our fifties, it was almost like a joke cause most of us never really thought that day would come… well, surprise! It’s here, and yes so are we, and besides some gray, and a bit of weight gain, these acts seem to now be in their prime.
And why shouldn’t they? thirty-plus years of performing in front of massive live audiences, these folks have no choice but to get better.
Their shows are incredibly seasoned, their voices polished, and their fans are always ready to buy tickets to see their favorite Freestyle acts.
So what is it about these artists, this genre that simply refuses to lie down and die? What keeps the promoters promoting, the fans buying tickets, and the artists, not just doing what they do, but doing it better, better than they did back in the day?
Some artists like to keep it nostalgic, living up to those concert titles that usually say things like Throw Back, Flashback, or Old School, while others chose to change it up a bit, giving their show a whole new look and feel, both ways contributing heavily to these super exciting and entertaining Freestyle events.
But the thing that I feel differentiates Freestyle music from all the other genres, is that still, after over three decades since the music hit the scene, brand new artists continue to step in and upon many of the stages throughout the country.
No concerns with major label deals or traditional radio rotation, our community has not only accepted it but has also embraced it, the love and loyalty we get from our small yet incredibly dedicated community.
People who dreamt of becoming famous Freestyle artists and producers back when they were in their teens and twenties have yet to cease pursuing those dreams now in their 40’s and 50’s, and though a few jokes have been made about that, to me it’s what makes this genre so special!
To be a part of a genre that continues to embody hopes and dreams is the type of genre I wanna be involved in.
You know, as a Booking Agent I can confirm, yes, over the years many of our artist’s fees have gone up, some quite considerably, but promoters are paying it, and why? Simply because the fans keep buying tickets!
You know, back when I first started booking Freestyle artists, I was told by someone in this genre who I sort of considered a mentor, that this shit was practically over, that if it had five years left he’d be surprised, and therefore I should stop lobbying so hard and just get whatever I could get for them.
But I couldn’t see it that way, though trust me, I gave it some serious thought, but it seemed the more I thought about it, the less sense it made.
To me, Freestyle was our Hip Hop! Our, meaning the Latinos of New York City. For once in our lives, we not only had a sound, but also some wonderful artists, that sort of looked like us. That came from where we came from and shared a pretty similar lifestyle. There was no way in the world that I could have been the only one who saw this, and so there was no way in the world that this thing was gonna die in five years!
So here’s to another thirty-five years and a huge shout out to ALL of our wonderful Freestyle artists!
Many times when people talk to me, they’re fascinated by what I do for a living, and I love answering all their questions, but when they express how great it must’ve been to meet all of these incredible Freestyle artists, I totally agree, it was great, and I love them all, but to me, my greatest experience ever has been meeting the fans!
Some of my best friends today were fans that I probably would never have had the opportunity to meet had I not been doing this for a living.
Fans such as Jerome Razo, who I met first through Facebook, then finally at one of our concerts in California.
Jerome has become much more than a fan to my wife and I, he’s become a friend and we look forward to seeing him every time we head out his way… Oh, and by the way, he’s also read all of my books… Go Jerome!
I asked Jerome five very simple questions just to give us a better understanding of what it means to be a SuperFan, and if there are any other SuperFans out there, please let me know in the comments, I’d love to talk to you!
Latif: Hey Jerome, how’s it going?
Jerome: Everything’s great!
Latif: That’s good to hear, so tell us a bit about you.
Jerome: Um, my name is Jerome Razo I’m from San Bernardino, California. I’m 56 years old and I work as a cashier at Riverside Community Hospital.
Latif: So Jerome tell us, what was the first Freestyle experience you had, and what was it about that experience that turned you into a Freestyle fan?
Jerome: “It was the 1980’s, Will To Power, Sweet Sensation, Lime, and Dino came to town and I went with some friends to see them perform. I had never been to a concert, so this was my first and I was immediately hooked. Till this day that memory is still so fresh, and now even just listening to Freestyle still puts me in a happy mood.”
Latif: Wow, so you’re seriously an old school fan, love it!
Jerome: A hundred percent!
Latif: Now, let’s imagine for a second that your life is a movie, and there’s one Freestyle song that you get to choose for your theme… What song would that be, Jerome?
Jerome: “Oh man, Definitely Inside Outside by The Cover Girls. I can imagine the long intro playing whenever I walk into a room, not to mention my life’s been spun around quite a few times, I even feel like a puppet at times? Lol”
Latif: Oh yeah, I see your Facebook post! Lol. Okay, so your favorite Freestyle artist is in town and you get a chance to host them for just one day… What artist will it be, and what are your plans for the day?
Jerome: “Hmmm, I’ll say either Exposé or The Cover Girls, I’d like to hear some of their stories while we drink and cook an enormous meal… then we’d all go shopping lol.”
Latif: Don’t play, my wife would be the first one at your house Lol.
Jerome: Come on, Angel! Lol
Latif: So, you get a chance to promote your own Freestyle concert in your city. I want you to pick the five Freestyle artists that will perform, and then choose a name for your concert!
Jerome: “Oh, that’s easy. The Cover Girls of course, Exposé, Trinere, Lisette Melendez, and… Cynthia! and it would be called First Ladies of Freestyle!”
Latif: Damn, So the fellas are totally cut from that one, huh?
Jerome: Yup, no boys allowed! Lol
Latif: Okay, so last but not least… You have the opportunity to try and convince the program director of your local radio station to begin playing Freestyle music again… let’s hear it!
Jerome: “I would say, let’s rewind back to when we used to cruise the blvd bumping Freestyle music and everyone was having a great time and getting along. Let’s promote unity and peace, not all that violence that the kids have to listen to these days. Music was so much better back then, and so was the atmosphere around it!”
Latif: I definitely felt that one, and I know exactly what you mean. Jerome, this was fun and I appreciate you agreeing to do it, so on behalf of the entire Freestyle community, artists, writers, producers, and promoters, I’d just like to say thank you, Jerome… Thank you for being a SuperFan!
Let's think for a second, imagine if there were no DJs to play our music, what would happen?
Well, for one, it will be up to the artists and their team to play and promote their own music, almost like an advertisement… and you know how we feel about those!
In this column, I’d like to talk about a very rare breed… The Freestyle DJ, Who are they? Why Freestyle Music? and most importantly, what keeps them spinning it?
And in this issue, I wanna tell you about one DJ in particular, and that is none other than DJ Tim “Spinnin” Schommer!
I’ve personally known Tim since the early 90s, in fact, I’ve known Tim longer than he’s known me. Oh yeah, you couldn’t talk about the Freestyle scene in Chicago without mentioning this DJ.
Who would’ve thought that this little kid from Madison, WI would one day become one of Freestyle’s greatest DJs? Probably no one, and definitely not the DJ himself, Tim Spinnin’ Schommer!
It was his first time at a place called The Club, a teen nightclub where Rusty Berlow was the DJ, a kid who had graduated High School a few years earlier and had just landed a job at a local radio station.
The excitement that this DJ was able to create just by playing some records was all it took for 14 year old Tim Schommer to decide that that’s what he wanted to do with his life, he wanted to do what Rusty was doing, and spent the next several years honing in, and developing his newly discovered passion.
It was the mid-80s when the Bally’s Corporation called Tim and offered him a job overseeing a string of clubs in Chicago, and immediately he went for it, unaware that an even greater opportunity was waiting.
B96 was the radio station that the Chicago kids were listening to, and Tim became an instant fan, not to mention a student of the Hot Mix 5’s Mickey Mixin’ Oliver, and a regular over at Gramophone Record Store.
Songs by such artists as The Cover Girls, Exposé, and Shannon, are the most vivid memories of his introduction to Freestyle Music, and the embarkment of his remarkable journey.
Becoming a Billboard Dance Reporter carved Tim’s name even deeper into the Chicago club scene, and garnered the attention of the legendary Julian Jumpin’ Perez who in 1989, invited Tim to come join him and his B96 Mix Masters, a team of DJ elites that also included Bad Boy Bill, Brian HitMix Middleton, and Mike Hitman Wilson.
Tim jumped at the opportunity, but also knew that if he wanted to stand out among these House Music Heavyweights, he would have to do something a bit different, and different he did when he made the decision to be that Freestyle guy, clearing out his own personal lane and driving his name and career to a whole other place which now included On-Air personality.
Today, Tim is still one of the most sort after Freestyle DJs, his skills as sharp as ever and his energy always on high. A Chicago Freestyle concert without Tim “Spinnin’ Schommer” just doesn’t seem right, and now, thanks to Social Media, promoters everywhere have the opportunity to experience not just a Chicago legend, but rather a Freestyle one.
Shout out to you, Tim Spinnin’ Schommer, you are, without doubt, one of our amazing DJ’s!
For more information about Tim and how to book him for your next event, go to timspinnin.com
I really wish more of us would see these great people as I do. As a manager for a few Freestyle artists, it always seemed as though it was us against the promoters. They wanted to pay us as little as possible, we wanted as much as we can get. They wanted to put us up at the Red Roof Inn, we wanted nothing less than The W Hotel, and when the turnout wasn’t what any of us expected, they blamed us, and we blamed them!
But something happened in my career that made me look at this very rare breed of music personnel from a whole other angle… I became a Booking Agent!
Things were different, I could no longer take sides, in fact, my entire job now seemed to rely mostly on creating a smooth and wonderful experience for both my artists and also my promoters.
Still operating as a manager, I began incorporating my booking mentality and sharing with whoever I was booking at the time my thoughts in hopes that they’d see it as I did.
You see I’ve been doing this long enough to have experienced a huge turnover in Freestyle promoters, and most of those whom I booked for back in the day are no longer around. They either quit the business, passed away, or moved on to bigger and better things.
So imagine if new promoters never stepped up, never stepped in? Where would Freestyle be, where would we be? Many of us out of business for sure!
But that’s not the case at all, in fact, if we compared the genre now to the way it was back in the early to mid-90s, where freestyle shows were few and far between and thrown mostly in clubs, a few small theaters, and a bunch of ballrooms, it’s as if it’s taken on a whole new life.
Nowadays Freestyle events can be spotted popping up at major concert arenas everywhere thanks to a couple of our big boy promoters such as Pacific Concert Group and Bobby Dee Presents, two incredible promoters who I have personally worked with for many years, and who this genre truly owes a ton of gratitude.
But that in no way takes from our smaller and more intimate promoters who I believe are our industries true lifeline, cause though the big boys do help legitimize our genre as a real industry player, rarely do they revisit a market more than once in a year, while our smaller promoters have the ability, and make it a point to bring shows more frequently to those markets, sometimes as much as once a month! Shout out to you guys for sure!
Speaking of which, anyone who has ever even considered promoting Freestyle club events, I couldn’t encourage you more, especially these days. The market is hotter than ever, and there is still more room for everyone to grow, and if you ever feel like these bigger Freestyle Promoters are a threat to your business, well you’re wrong.
In fact, these big events are an absolute necessity, as they help maintain a level of relevance to the genre, and their huge marketing campaigns prove that people are willing to invest in it.
I wrote and published a book back in 2017 called, Freestyle Promotions and The 7 Simple Steps to Getting Started, a simple 7 step guide to help anyone considering a try at Freestyle Club Promotions. The idea behind this book was to help solve a major problem in our industry, which was the complaint that current promoters are booking the same acts for all of their events. And though this may be true, realize also that there are only a handful of legitimate Freestyle promoters, and giving up what they already know to be a sure thing, to appease the genre is not in their best interest, and we should not be mad at that! Instead, we should be encouraging and assisting new promoters to step up and give it a shot, and this book is a great way to at least get them started.
2022 is already looking mighty bright for the Freestyle genre. Club and concert events are popping up everywhere, and though I hope you can attend at least one of them this year, supporting our promoters and their events with even simple Likes, and Shares can go a long way… for everyone!
This was a great newsletter! Freestyle is a big part of the music culture! The artist keep it moving because they came from a time before social media, so they now how to interact and keep it flowing! Thank you Latif for all you do for the freestyle genre!!
Freestyle is such an important part of the American music genre. Thanks Latif for building the culture through your artists and literature! We keep it moving…. Palante!!!