[EVENT RECAP] One Dope Rooftop Show | Detroit, Mi

Practice Makes Perfect

Mixtape Messiah Daily
Kiya Hickman- Contributor

Detroit’s DJ Mix put on a really dope showcase this past week. I can honestly say it wasn’t what
I expected. I didn’t expect to hear a voice as dope as Jill Scott’s, with a partner whose rhymes
were as fluid as Latifah and Lyte, and together they were Detroit’s Floetry. I also didn’t expect
the souls of black and brown folk to be moved on a Detroit summer night to the sounds of
Spanish Harlem. I didn’t expect an actual performance, but the artist who were picked
showcased their talent on a level that I Haven’t seen from unsigned, underground artist in the city
ever.
Have you ever watched Big Sean perform? What about J Cole, Kendrick, Travis Scott, Jay Z or
even Trey Songz. There is a level of crowd interaction that they have that moves the crowd,
intensifies the music and creates nostalgia to future interactions with the song. See when Mike
Louie opened his set with – if I can recall- “Let the church say amen,” then began to drop one of
the most gangster songs ever, it created an experience. The church also said amen. Then Evan
The Twerk God in all of his eclectic greatness, makes you think he will be performing one song
actually gets in your face, does his dance, then the DJ blares one of the most trapped out songs
ever, at that moment, who wouldn’t want to be on “The Westside with Kharri” but the point is an
interactive performance created that feeling..
I have been watching concerts with the intent to analyze since the fall of 2010 at Howard’s
Homecoming. From there I have looked at the body language of acts whenever I patronize a
showcase, one thing remains the same- many artist do not practice their craft. I watched videos
from Summer Jamz and artists were out of breath, which is unacceptable professionally. They
aren’t practicing the live performance, yeah you went crazy in the booth but can you make the
audience feel the way you felt when you laid the track? My own artist, Ke’Juan, had to learn the
hard way, he left the stage short of breath and uneasy saying, “You were right I should’ve
practiced.” From that point on when I schedule a practice he practices for his live performance.
DJ Mix and his partners put on a phenomenal show with an XXL backing and most of the
artist were prepared with extremely interactive performances. It wasn’t just wasn’t a showcase for
one type of artist it was a mini concert with trap rappers, neo souls singers, Latino artist with
Caribbean influence it was eclectic. The best part of the show was the professionalism of the
artist.