Head-Roc’s Mouth: Which of You “Pollers” Wants to Battle?
First, to my family and contemporaries who are out front showing their support for me speaking about the predatory practice of “polling”: Thank you and I love you all! I Michael Jackson mean it! Please know that while this polling bullshit is preventing Chocolate City from regularly seeing its favorite, and the best, funk, rock, and soul hip-hop acts at venues that truly have the best sound systems and stages, with your help and advocacy, a movement is officially underway to change this shameful dynamic in the nation’s capital. I’ve received your e-mails, texts, tweets, Facebook likes, and the rest. It strengthens me to continue on in pursuit of removing the elements that have prevented Chocolate City’s best, original, and ground-breaking independent ROCK musicians from being seen by the masses at the best area venues for doing so. Artists like Elikeh, Kokayi, Nea Posey, the Package, Tamika Jones, Deborah Bond, the Cornel West Theory, Mello-D and the Rados, Farafina Khan, Violet Says 5, Enoch the 7th Prophet and DJ Earth 1ne, Konshens and His State of Mind, Asheru, Labtek One, Sounds of the City, the ELs, Mambo Sauce, Princess of Controversy, Bambu Station, Machetres, Mustafa Akbar, Pure Light Seed, W. Ellington Felton, Poem-cees, Doc Knight and the Hipnotics, N’Digo Rose, Noon:30, UnInterruped, Devine Nature, Allison Carney, Bilal Salaam, and so many other local, veteran, professional artists (so sorry I cant name you all right now!) are not regularly featured in D.C.’s best indie-music venues… and they SHOULD BE! My family, this trend will gradually come to an end. Please stay tuned… and get ready to rock!
Second, to my detractors upset with me for addressing this predatory practice of polling at certain venues to determine a band’s worthiness to rock within its walls–instead of according to real talent: Your personal attacks are nothing to me… especially from anonymous sources. That said, I want to thank all my scene “friends” for lashing out in response to my calling you out on your actions and complicity in allowing this polling shit to take root in Chocolate City in the first place. Now that I know you think I “suck,” don’t “draw but 8 people,” am an “uncle tom,” along with not having any appeal to anyone, I guess I should just call it quits—according to your lovely suggestions.
But the problem is that I wholeheartedly disagree with your righteous sentiments, and can easily, very definitively, prove why. Now, I could do so via another blog where I lay out my personal list of accomplishments and trail-blazings as an indie musician in Chocolate City–representing hip-hop’s side of the genre pool no less. You know, we’ve never received proper respect in our own hometown-like how the fellowship of D.C. Hip-Hop is responsible for the revitalization of the U Street corridor. I’d actually have to talk about it in the manner my fellow hip-hop heads and I lived it. But that would only arouse your ire more, I’m sure. Besides, my detracting friends, associates, contemporaries, and other industry fellows, you already know me well, don’t you? Well, I can respect that. I’m especially honored that most of all you do know that I am a musician, which means I’ll do all the talking and proving of myself on the big stage. Which brings me to…
Third, a battle of the bands, anyone? How about somebody set up a battle of the bands at one of the best live performance venues in town: Black Cat or 9:30 Club? Yes! We can call it Head-Roc’s “Mouth” vs. the D.C. indie music scene’s ruling class of polling implementers and supporters. You “pollers” (I couldn’t resist!) can put up two of your best bands, and I’ll bring out mine, Godisheus. That should make things even enough, eh?
The winner of “battle of the bands,” by some fair way to be determined (hey, how about an end-of-the-night “poll” based on who rocked the hardest?), takes all the door money. Yes, we will play for money. Remember, I claim to be a professional musician, which means playing music is how I claim to earn my living. I have bills to pay and mouthes to feed. I say venues should hire people like me to entertain the patrons willing to spend their bucks to experience the best live music in town. What? You say different? I’m washed up? I’m old news? Well, young bucks and old rivals that support and benefit from these venues’ polling practices, prove it!
Lets just say we do it at the 9:30 Club: The place will be packed for sure to see an event of this magnitude and significance. If we can put 1000 folks in the house at $10 a head, there's a $10,000 potential take on the night. The “draw” will be the controversy itself, which alone should make that kind of turnout possible.
The controversy is this: I say that my indie ROCK band, Godisheus, will kick any “Poll-er” practioners favorite local bands in a two-on-one competition that empowers music lovers determine who’s worthy to get paid for being a D.C. indie musician. I talked to the mastermind behind the sound Godisheus generates, Dwayne “Super Bad III” Lee. He says to tell the “Poll-ers” to go over their bookings from last year at any of their venues, and select their favorite local “draw” band to play against Godisheus for “who deserves what” bragging rights—in a poll taken by the gathered masses. I like that.
Somebody reading this can make that happen.
Friend, foe, or neutral opportunist… Holla Black! This one will create juicy, good publicity for our indie music community, don’t ya think? In the end, everybody will get what they deserve… one way or another.
More on why “polling” is complete bullshit soon! In the meantime, which of you “pollers” wants to battle?
2:43 pm
Violet Says 5? Yeah, that band threatened my band and then flipped out on the venue staff because their set time, which they'd been given by a different booking agent three months prior, and that they hadn't bothered to confirm with anyone, had changed. So I have no sympathy for them.
4:24 am
BE WARNED.
DC MUSIC IS NOT STOPPING FOR THAT BULLSHIT.
WE RUN THIS
2:05 pm
Hey Interesting Choice- You should not talk about things you have only cursory knowledge of. You might get threatened again. If you wanna party though, come out and see us MARCH 6TH @Recher Theater in Towson. We'll be playing with a bunch of bands you might love to share a bill with. No sympathy is needed. WHOEVER YOU ARE.
P.S.
thanks for the shout out! check us out bro! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SxrhYC0QX0
4:45 pm
Bruh,
Thanks for takin' it to the concrete on all our behalf. We're finishing up a tour on the West Coast today. We'll be back in the area for the Hope for Haiti Benefit 2/25 @ LIV, Madam's Organ 2/28, and here's a big one a double header with Marcell and the Truth @ Eden's Lounge 3/4 (now that's an indie collaboration! roots-meets-r&b!!!) Big ups to the whole DC Indie scene! Stand firm and stay focused,ya'll!
Kojo/Bambu Station
7:12 pm
where to start?
1) no one is preventing any act you listed from being seen by the masses. The only barrier to be removed is your feeling of self entitlement and lack of show attendance. Besides baseless conjecture, I haven't heard one factual example of how you are being boxed out of dc clubs. "Man, this shit sucks. Im not being paid." Polling fucks everyone equally. It's colorblind and it's genre blind. Maybe you think you should be further along than you are and that more people should be checking you out. Work Harder. If you brought people out, you'd get paid more and play better shows. It's not rocket science. Maybe you should be working harder to build your fan base instead of Raging against this big awful machine. It ain't cheap for anyone to live and operate in this city, music venues included.
You shouldn't be relying on dc for your pay day anyway. If you are, it's time to re-evaluate. Get in the van. If you are any good, people will take notice and you'll have no problem booking in dc and being paid accordingly.
I don't know what a polling band is or what the hell your 2 on 1 gangbang will accomplish. If you lost this hypothetical battle, i'm sure you'd have an excuse for that too.
However, I do have to congratulate you on one thing. You have the right idea with these articles...more people certainly know who you are now. Run with it.
2:23 pm
"polling bullshit is preventing Chocolate City from regularly seeing its favorite, and the best, funk, rock, and soul hip-hop acts at venues that truly have the best sound systems and stages"
I love the logic... unfortunately for you, it comes down to the almighty $$, if you do not pull folks to your shows, you will not be asked to return.
Want to know why Thievery plays 5 nights in a row at the 9:30? They pack it every night despite the music being mediocre.
Try starting with DC9, as you are undoubtedly the best act in DC, as I have heard you state over and over.
Who is keeping you from filling a venue? The man or your ego?
BTW polling is not keeping D Bond from anything, I just saw her on BET Soul...
5:15 pm
Sister Deborah Bond, along with so many others from Chocolate City, should be as big as Jill Scott as this point.
Her career, as well as EVERYONE listed above has been held up by DC's Indie music gatekeeper MANtality and sabatoge... oh man, its deep!
Ill continue to break it down for you... keep watching.
So far, while a few more wish to remain anonymous while they talk shit, No one wants to play music to settle this... isnt that interesting?
LOL!
Chocolate City musicians and music community supporters... It's time to turn the tables on these Predators who control the avenues to success!
Stay tuned...
There is more analysis to shed light on the "Discriminating" dynamics of who gets access to venues here in Chocolate City. I have stories to share with hardcore evidence to expose these Thieves and the inner workings of their Plantation style Corporations!
Holla Black... instead of Co-opting Black Culture to sell your product.
10:02 am
I agree with you about D Bond and many other DC artist career path. But as it is a career, what is it that we are not doing that artist from other cities are doing?
Philly was able to bring the music industry to it s doors without having to compromise (ie travelling to NY to grovel at a Majors feet or becoming Jigga's BFF).
Maybe a collaborative effort between artists and venues needs to occur to nurture our scene.
As far as battling, music is so subjective that it is hard to say that act was better, it really depends on what your criteria are:
-arrangements, lyrics, tightness, instrumentation
or
-whether or not you can relate to the music...
There is art for everyone
3:08 pm
"But as it is a career, what is it that we are not doing that artist from other cities are doing?"
We’ve done all that we can do. that’s my point. those in the positions controlling certain avenues that take local pro's to 'the next level' are not giving us the same big stage time opportunities our “brothers from other mothers” get. That’s about as nice as i can put it.
From the jump, ive maintained that my argument is for PROVEN professional musicians. We play tight ORIGNIAL progressive ALTERNATIVE ROCK music. We play tight stage shows to showcase it. Our squads are tight, ready willing and able to perpetuate the actions of showcasing our material. We have 10-30+ years perfecting our craft, and we are old salts in the chit’ling circuit game -local, regionally, nationally, internationally.
It amazes me the lack of respect that is given to musicians/artists/art scene movers and shakers WHO WE ALL KNOW have paid incredible dues in Chocolate City. We local disenfranchised professionals suffering from a lack of access to the best venues and stages have to resist the urge to prove ourselves in lobbying for fair treatment When we advocate for ourselves. Folks come back with all kinds of ridiculous shit to try and shut us down from DEMANDING to be let in the building like the rest of the scene – aka our counterparts. I make all my points as a professional indie musician from Chocolate City.
Now, some naysayers, jealous ones, old rivals, and new disrespectful arrivals want to, again, anonymously talk shit cause im calling out how wack things have become here… as if I have never earned my time to give injustice a piece of my mind. Lol. It’s to be expected. Yet, no one has stepped up to play music and shut me up on my claims that the Best Musicians/groups/acts are NOT playing the Best venues - nor are we being treated fairly in the decision making process around who get what in this town.
Lastly, art is for everyone. Part of how I earn my dime is by teaching art in communities of culture where I NEVER see any of the local Artists who currently play the Best venues. That said, there are different levels of proficiency in art. And I don’t know where you are from (since you choose to remain anonymous), but where I’m from, you gotta pay your dues to get into certain houses AND talk shit. Not many can do it (talk shit) to me, and yes I know it, so I’m out front to take the hits from the power that be who I launched this inquiry against. Behind me, is a sea of Chocolate Rockers ready to take action against dynamics that the Civil Rights era already crusaded against. Yes, read between the lines on that one. This is a Civil Rights issue.
Businesses have to provide THE SAME opportunities to all in the competitive field. This is not happening in Chocolate City where the demographics suggest that the booking trends at certain Indie music venues are biased AWAY from certain groups of People. Real Talk, and very very very easy to prove. It’s easiest to do so when the whiners, perpetrators, and predators say… “can’t you just take that somewhere else?”
Our answer is “NO!” That’s what the lunch counter protests were ALL about. Learn your history. WE don’t have to jump through hoops anymore to PROVE we have been unfairly discriminated against, and are RIGHT to demand fair access. Wtf
Lasty, no support of me WOULD EVER come out and communicate these….“Devil’s Advocate” positions where instead of holding the predators accountable, you want to question what ive done as if it isn’t enough for me to come out on this issue. All ill say is this… I work in Communities of Culture to “Save our People” with the Power of Music, and ill let that speak for itself as to what my motives are on this, and all my endeavors.
Holla Black and LOVE!
10:17 am
Good convo, but unfortunately as I was saying above, music is not graded, to say a band's music is better than another is really a matter of perspective, like with all art...
In High School, I used to rage at all these lame ass acts (monkey suckets etc...) getting stage time at the old 9:30. I could not understand why my band with our great singer, lyrics and arrangements could not secure even an opening slot for the opening act... we could not even get booked downstairs on a Wed! I felt we deserved it...
Unfortunately, unless you have a very per$ua$ive argument for the owner or booking agent, they will book according to their musical taste.
Again unfortunately the amount of dues you pay does not equate to your pay, it should entitke you to some respect from your peers though, but res$pect will not pay the bills.
I am curious what business model would you advocate that would be fair?
If you are playing these venues that deny you entry for whatever reason, should you be paid according to the amount of people you actually bring to the show or should you be paid according to what you think you deserve irresepective of whether or not you attracted 1 or 300 people?
If the latter, what is the value to the venue of having you perform??
I have seen you live in 3 incarnations: 3LG, Head-Roc and now Godisheus... and have nothing but good things to say.
The music business is a business and the establishment will only make changes when their pockets are either lined or emptied.
Which one will it be?
6:11 pm
hmmm.... so no one wants to Battle I see....
well, i gues i can get back to work laying out the case and exposing the Predators of our indie music scene.
*poof!*
2:09 am
umm... why are some of you so upset? the point is "polling" as a way of paying a performer is UNFAIR. i've worked security at thousands of go go, hardcore and hip hop shows in dc and ive never even heard of this shit. ive even promoted shows for the love of it w/ heady and the rest of infinite loop back in the day and i don't think either of us made money. i heard a very wise emcee say: "you dont get paid what you deserve, you get paid what you negotiate". it sounds like some of you bands are making it impossible to negotiate. i'm a working artist and there's a lot unfair practices in that field as well. i think paying a large sum to be in a "juried" show is a rip-off. so i don't do it. luckily for me, there's plenty of galleries and shows that won't make me pay to show my work (until it sells). but many clubs see other venues "polling" and take up this "innovative" way of paying for services. booking agents need to listen to bands, book who they like at contracted prices, promote the show, and fucking honor their contract. it ain't hard. good local bands will flock to a venue that plays fair. local fans will follow.
Interesting Choice> aww... did you get threatened? come on. people get threatened when i walk in the room. heady named like 25 acts and you picked 1. so throw the whole debate out the window?
Shameless Self Promotion> heady is not guilty of self-promotion on this topic (or at least not overly so). behind him is a huge group of local performers who can't get gigs based on their color, culture or whatever. and not all bands are touring bands. maybe for one reason or another they are unable to tour. besides, how would going on tour solve this problem for the next group on the come-up?
DCBorn> wow, again out of 25 acts named you picked 1. well, i guess every other act can shut up about an unfair practice: you saw one of them on BET. then your next 2 posts were pretty good.
unfair is UNFAIR!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/14/AR2010031402760.html