The week included a candlelight vigil dedicated to the "Fallen Soldiers of Hip-Hop," a gathering at Brother Jeff's Cultural Center and Café to present the "History of Hip-Hop," a workshop on "The Business of Hip-Hop" at The Spot, and rounding out the week, the Art N' Sol Party put on every year by Twisted Sol.

Because of what transpired between the city's committee and Campbell, he saw the grassroots hip-hop community beginning to have his back more than it ever has. One of these backers includes Rei Rei, a local hip-hop artist who also runs MobRuled Productionz, who picked up the tab for the entire Hip-Hop Appreciation Week that started that weekend of the Denver summit. "I think things are beginning to turn around," Campbell expressed.

WHO'S MAKING LOVE?

While Reese had negative experiences with SafeCity and the summit in general, he's also critical of the person that stares back from the mirror. "Yeah it was a catastrophe, but as promoters, program directors, DJs, artists, journalists and all other so-called members of the hip-hop community, we only have ourselves to blame."

He's just as critical of the talent when booking his shows in general. "Really, how many local artists are actually saying something? I just worry that nobody raps because they love the music anymore," Reese says, explaining why he taps into both national and local artists.

Hydra, a Colorado Springs trio (Joe Trujillio, Flint, and Petey) may be new to the game, forming in the last year, but hip-hop has been a part of their livelihood for some time. Trujillo states, "We're trying to get shows and put in the hard work so we can get that respect later on."

They're also working to collaborate with others, both on a group level and a solo level, as many other hip-hop artists do, including the mainstream like D-12. "Whether it's studio time, going out of town, or whatever. We're just trying to spread the word that we're just local MCs not really trying to make a name for ourselves, we're just trying to spread a message…a message of being positive, creative, to avoid materialism and not let that get into your heart. Focus on what makes you happy, as far as your inner-self goes."

Other artists that came before them, including Kevin Mitchell from Accumen1 and Black Pegasus (aka Rob Houston), provide motivation and inspiration. When Trujillo saw Kevin from Accumen1 out making the kind of music he wanted to, "That's all I wanted to do. Follow in his footsteps basically, making something at a creative level instead of what you see out there. Not to make fun of MTV, but there's a lot of that 'Making the Band' façade that you see."

Accumen1 goes outside the MC/Turntable box, using live procession and a variety of singers. They also stray from the booking formula, networking other Colorado Springs bands like Laymen Terms, a rock band, to present the audience with a variety of music from their hometown.

These days, Mitchell from Accumen1 is constantly looking into the future, analyzing where they've been and where they're going. "You have to see what levels you're going to take [your music] to," he says. "If you're tired of playing the same songs, you know the crowd is tired of hearing them."

Hydra is currently working on mastering their second demo, throwing their old lyrics over new beats and using the skills of Flint, they hope to continue honing their craft. Trujillo says of Flint's lyric writing, "He's added a third and fourth dimension to the group. He's got some skills that are super original. It's nothing that I've heard or experience before." This allows the diversity of each of their writing skills to be even more faceted, but as a unit that's in sync.

As De La Soul continues to tour, Beastie Boys release To The 5 Boroughs, which sounds like it could have easily come out in the late '80s, or MTV plays something reminiscent of Wild Style or Double Trouble, Flint brings up the trend in music where hip-hop seems to be jumping onto the retro trend. He poses a question to Mitchell, "Things are going back to that format like Kayne West, where it's more of a natural underground rhyme but it's commercialized. If you can catch that niche and ride that wave, would you ride it?"

Mitchell smiles and answers, "Honestly man, when I write I want people to feel this way or that. But I'm never trying to write like Kayne."

Flint explains, "No man, I don't mean like that. I just see him bringing out a lot of underground style but bringing it into the mainstream. I don't think he's the only one. I think there's going to be a lot more after him that are going to get played on the radio. I’m just asking, do you want to be one of those people where you are getting out to the masses but with an intelligent message?"

"Oh yea," Mitchell answers, "I'd definitely like to be one of those cats. What kills me is when you do make a name they think you're selling out. I mean, what the hell do they think you're in it for? I don’t want to just play for my mom and shit. Putting out albums cost way too much for that."

Trujillo laughs, adding, "That reminds me of an Atmosphere show. He had one of those breaks between songs and he was talking about almost accidentally going pop. He's got that crowd sensibility, so much diversity, and it's brought so much that people can almost see him going pop. He wants to keep that street credibility. But if he's getting popular and people are buying his stuff, then what?"

"I know what he's saying. I do understand," comments Black P. "They have more of an intimate, 'Listen to what we're saying' flavor instead of the 'You heard it all week on the radio so you can lip synch to it yourself.' But see, they target suburbia. When they go to New York they're not selling out the Harlem hood. They're selling out New Jersey. All you have to do is keep making music for those kids and it's going to keep building. That's also how it is with Immortal Technique."

Joe looks back at his early days of writing where in his terms, he wrote "rhyme-y ass shit" where he was thinking more about how it would play out in a MC battle versus writing something from the heart. "But after a time you grow into your own style," he explains, "whatever that may be."

When you ask local artists whose style they respect from the local community, a number of names come up more than once: Break Mechanic, Mob Niggaz Livin' Decent, Ground Zero Movement, Dre Payne, Black Pegasus, Accumen1, Julox, Apostle (Jeff Campbell), The Cool eMCees, Mob Style, StillCatchinWreck, Rei-Rei, Julox, and then there's Chris Karnes, also known as DJ Vajra, a member of the Platter Pirates (a crew consisting of many other heavy-hitters on the battle scene, Spryte and Kico, to name a few).

Reclusive at times, you may have seen Vajra in the spotlight during this year's Westword Music Showcase. But for most of you, he's the well-known turntablist who has taken the regional DMC champion spot two years running. As one who has had experience with competition, he sees a number of artists moving upwards, only if there is a level of improvement when it comes to the MC battles themselves.

"It seems as though there’s been a very gradual improvement in that aspect: when it come to b-boying, the GWT crew is definitely coming up and making themselves noticed," Vajra comments. "As far as the battle scene goes, there’s the Crunk Brothers as well as Cisco Rockwell, and they’re all doing really well at it."

When it comes to the battle scene's growth, he feels that improvements need to be made in the organization of the event, the judging process, and what type of talent the MC brings. "If you have battles where they have bad judges who think that body tricks are what wins battles, then you’re going to have kids who are going to make battles into a fiasco, trying to win with corny tricks instead of actually trying to do something creative," he states.

LOVE FOR SALE – THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC

Making music starts with the love of music. Then the choice between career and hobby comes. If it's the former, the career element coincides with the ability to pay the bills…eventually. After thousands of mixed tape CDs passed out and countless hours spent pounding the pavement, Black Pegasus has built the reputation as one of the hardest workers in Colorado hip-hop.

"I see a lot of stuff going on locally, but people don't have a plan. I was the same way. But now that I'm older and living off of it I have to have a plan and stay organized," Black P says, "otherwise I’m gonna be broke as hell."

This is what separates the pros from the wanna be's – the work ethic and awareness of business basics. Those like Black P and Accumen1 who have been in it for a while learned that if they were going to continue doing what they do for the long haul, they needed to have that business mind. They and other artists also learned that relationships are key. And they pay off in more ways than one.

One example was a lead from Black P that led Accumen1 to a new clothing endorsement deal with LRD clothing out of Ft. Collins. Kevin has also learned that relationships need to extend outside our comfortable community. "I keep building with other cats from out of state to put Colorado on the map. It takes time, but you've to get out there to make them look. When they think of hip-hop here, they think we're all in a bunch of overalls. But there's a real scene here, especially in the Springs." <more>

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