FinaL OutlaW at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York 2011 скачать в хорошем качестве

FinaL OutlaW at The Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York 2011

In 2011, I became a two-time Amateur Night champion at the world-famous Apollo theater in Harlem. I was encouraged to join the historic competition and eventually auditioned. Although, I did so begrudgingly. There was a small room with one of those folding tables in Brooklyn and the judges immediately signed me up. I came up in an era dominated by television shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent. My gut always told me that there was something deeply exploitative about those programs. Also, I found the rejections barbaric. It’s like the coliseum needed blood irregardless of how it would impact individual contestants. Speaking of contestants, they themselves volunteered to be sacrificed for a chance at making it big, anyway. At least, that was the layman’s argument. There were winners, but their successes were naturally minuscule compared to the lion’s share divvied up by the planners of such shows. The truth is, I remember carrying these sentiments as I walked through the halls and the greenrooms of the Apollo. I stood by in silence as I watched other contestants shake their jitters, sob, and pray whilst waiting to be called next. At the Apollo, it is tradition for the audience to boo if they don’t like your performance. If the booing gets loud enough, you’re taken off stage. Though, in 2011 it felt like you could be booed for minor infractions. Your leg might extend from behind the curtain and that might be permission enough to be crushed by a booing wall of sound. Maybe, it was your sneakers that weren’t to their liking. I recognized this immediately as countless contestants were sent back within only seconds of stepping out. This obviously meant a whole lot for many people. It wasn’t uncommon for contestants to weep as they fell into their family’s embrace backstage. In hindsight, I recognize the bleakness of my perspective. However, it also gave me an incredible advantage. Hardened by life and seasoned by touring the country, I dealt with the entire situation as I would a rap battle. And that’s what I did; losing my breath over their shouting until my voice cracked. Placing first didn’t matter; what mattered was placing, period. How else would I advance to the next round? There was no certainty either. I was just as surprised as anybody else was when I found myself eventually turning the crowd in my favor. It was as if they realized something about me. It was a shock every time but I tried carrying the momentum to the next night, and the next. During the semi-finals, I didn’t place third. A street-dance crew beat me for that spot. Only lately have I begun to understand the significance of my achievement. Those nights were special; from booing-to-cheering in about five minutes, each time. All my experiences at open mics, battles, and shows gave me the ability to impress crowds within a tiny window of time. When I left the venue, dozens of people came to greet me and take pictures. When I took the subway home, other people riding the train congratulated me. They said such amazing things. Somebody in my family said “I don’t know how you’re doing this.” It was bittersweet, though. Each time I emerged victorious, it was with a whimper as many of my peers in NYC’s Hip Hop underground scene were absent. You would have thought that every Hip Hop publication in the city would have been on top of something like that. The culmination of countless experiences like these eventually forced me to reconsider exactly what words like “culture” and “community” truly meant in the grand scheme of things. Looking back, my only regret is that I wish I could have done a better job appreciating the magic of the moment instead of wasting time thinking about that. Ultimately, good prevailed. I remember an elated staff explaining to me backstage just how rare it was for any Hip Hop act to get as far as I did. I did a little research but could only find about two other rappers who went that far. One of them was Machine Gun Kelly. Surely there have been more. Mrs. Kathy is also somebody that I can never forget. She felt like the glue holding the place together. She made me feel like she wanted me to succeed and would ensure I received my check after each show. She went on to invite me to perform again in 2012. Except, I showed up under the false assumption that I was to come and do a traditional live performance, but I quickly found out that I was to compete once again. I hadn’t prepared for that and didn’t advance, albeit I was never booed off stage either. I was only able to acquire small bits of somewhat unflattering footage. I never confirmed with anyone if these performances aired on television. 🏴 FO SUBSCRIBE HERE ▶ http://bit.ly/SubscribeFO Audiomack | https://audiomack.com/finaloutlaw/son... Instagram |   / finaloutlaw   ________________________________________________________________________ #finaloutlaw #finaloutlawapollo #apollo #apollotheater #HipHop #Rap #newyorkcity #harlem