J-L-I-VE at Mercury

Just left the J-Live show. There were some real MCs with flow and technique that most "mainstream" rap can't comprehend. 3rd party started things off, real hot, as it should be. "*[Farbeon]," one of the members of 3rd party told stories of everyday life without dropping a beat. Speaking of beats, "Rabbi Darkside" handled beat boxing, mixing and rhyming like he was the father of hip-hop. Not to be outdone "Hired Gun" had the type of energy and control to switch tempos at a moment's notice. (He also broke it down with some dancing)

Oddy came out as the second act and got the crowd even louder. The Mercury Lounge stage never got so much love, till 3rd party came back with some even stronger tracks that they laid down in Brazil; it was then time for the live one.

J-Live came on stage with a huge roar from the crowd, I was right up front, he commanded the MIC, the crowd and the turn-tables from that point. The stage was set with verses from his current album, but soon we were all on a journey mapping out his 14 years as an MC.

Even though it's 2am and I have work in 3 hours I still feel that energy. A good show doesn't just make you go deaf for a few hours, it invigorates you. I know that I’ve been dealing with a lot, most of it on the inside, but I was free for a few hours. Those few hours are why art is so valuable especially in these tough times. I know 5am will come too soon but right now it feels like 9000 miles.