RezaRitesRi.com

Photos and article by Reza Corinne Clifton. Click here to see more photos.

First photo: Kevin Gibbs and Cl Smooth; Second photo: producers from last Friday’s Grand Tracks event

PROVIDENCE, RI - The dark space filled steadily with performers, promoters, and average music patrons. Bartenders consistently moved taking orders and filling glasses, while eyes, arms, and smiles showed innocence, mischief, familiarity, or delight. Some women dressed up; some men dressed down. We were all there to see a show, one that was to include a short performance by a legendary hip hop emcee, and one that was to showcase the talents of a fresh generation of music makers.

This was the scene last Friday night, November 17 at the Providence Black Repertory Company’s Xxodus Café, where Kevin Gibbs and Soul Optics Entertainment LLC hosted Grand Tracks—a monthly Beat Battle and Showcase series. The beat battle is accomplished by bringing in six producers who have all pre-submitted to Gibbs and his partner, J-Scratch, “quality,” self-made and self-mixed music samples. Selected producers then perform at Grand Tracks in front of a live audience, responding to challenges, ie. reconfiguring seventies funk rhythms into ready-to-use background tracks for vocalists and rappers.

Gibbs has been showcasing the production side of hip hop music since 2003 when he did his first Grand Tracks at the then-open Met Café in Providence. He explains his dedication this way: “up until recent years the producer in Hip-Hop has gotten left out of the picture. I mean you know that someone had to come up with all these beats.” But for Gibbs, it’s not only about highlighting the commercially successful; rather it’s recognizing the hard work and fresh talent of local or lesser known artists like J. Depina who won last Friday’s battle.

“[W]hy does it have to just be a Dr. Dre, Just Blaze, or Kanye West to get the attention?” Gibbs rhetorically asks in response to my recently emailed questions. “There are plenty of (local) beatmakers out there like Justin Case, Araab, Merk, Raidge, Nuncio, and Animal, all with banging beats wanting to make a living off of their craft.”

BET-recognized artists, Lexcano and Lee Wilson

Gibbs believes in their vision, but more importantly believes there’s evidence to support it: “you even see major emcees like Jay Z and artists like Cee Lo Green using beats from ‘unknown’ producers and getting them placed on major records.” And Gibbs feels that he too is doing his part with Grand Tracks, offering what he calls a “networking opportunity” that, dating back to the event three years ago, has produced partnerships between select producers, emcees, and vocalists that “are still working with each other” today.

Gibbs hardly has to flex his own promotions muscle, though. He has worked with artists widely-recognized in different hip hop circles like talented female wordsmith Bahamadia, while last Friday he brought in rapper CL Smooth, best known as the lyrically clever vocal partner to widely-acclaimed producer Pete Rock. He also invited Black Entertainment Television (BET)-recognized artists Lee Wilson and Lexcano, who both impressed the crowd with their versatility, soul, and rhythm. All in all, through Grand Tracks, Gibbs has organized a night where new talent is showcased, original trendsetters are respected, and the near-silent voices in the game are heard.

To see more pictures from the November 17 night, click here to go to the recent photos page. Otherwise, Soul Optics produces all of the Friday “Eclection” Xxodus Café events, and besides Grand Tracks, offers, monthly comedy, live soul and r&b, and a straight dj’s mix night. For more information about Eclection and Soul Optics LLC, visit www.souloptics.com, www.blackrep.org, or www.myspace.com/djbrownhornet.

Reza Corinne Clifton is a community organizer for high school reform at RI Children’s Crusade for Higher Education. She is also a freelance writer who is regularly published in several RI-area publications. Her articles can be seen at www.RezaRitesRi.com and she can be reached by emailing rezaclif@aol.com.

Trackback this Post | Feed on comments to this Post