Hip Hop Day

7:00p.m. August 11, 2024. Thousands of people have crowded the Artmore Coliseum for the 51st birth year celebration of Hip Hop. Nearly two dozen Hip Hop and R&B acts will be performing this night to commemorate more than 50 years of Hip Hop culture. One of the acts that will be celebrating the art of freestyle rapping is a group known as the “Free-O Trio”.

Standing backstage at the coliseum the group’s members Mike, Kevin and Eric are nervous, yet ready to go out and perform their freestyles. “Yo, do you hear how loud the crowd is right now?” Mike asked enthusiastically. “Yeah” Kevin began. “They’re hyped up about Hip Hop”. “So are y’all ready to go out there and tear it down?” Eric asked. “I don’t know, I’m kinda nervous” Mike responded. “Nervous about what?” Kevin started. “I thought you said you were the nicest emcee in the squad?”. “Yeah, but I didn’t know we were performing in front of thousands of people” Mike added.

“Dawg you ain’t got nothin’ to be worried about” Eric said calmly. “Everybody out there is looking forward to us, just remember, it’s a celebration of Hip Hop.” “Yeah” Kevin added. “Just pretend we’re back at the studio choppin’ it up like we always do and you’ll kill it.” Mike started to feel calm and took his friend’s words to heart. “Yeah, y’all are right. I guess it’s time to get out here and do this one for the culture. So who’s goin’ first?” “I’ll go first” Kevin replied. “I’ve been waitin’ to freak this Spellbound instrumental”. “Sound like a plan to me” Eric agreed.

On stage the host DJ Bishop Lightning was calming the crowd in preparation for the trio to take the stage. “Party people in the place to be” Bishop chanted on the microphone. The whole crowd cheered in response. “As we get this show underway celebrating more than 50 years of Hip Hop we got the local sensation known as Free-O Trio gettin’ ready to take the stage and freestyle over some classic instrumentals for us. DJ Green Alert, spin that beat for me homie.” The first beat that DJ Green Alert started playing was the instrumental to the song titled “Spellbound” by K-Solo. At the sound of the beat the crowd went wild in unison. “Here I go” Kevin said while running out to the stage to perform his freestyle.

🎶They call me emcee K-Nice, I never did play nice🎶

🎶And when it comes to rhyming I forever will spray nice🎶

🎶Rappin’ is what I love to do for a livin’🎶

🎶Tearin’ it up and rappin’ with my crew for a livin’🎶

🎶This our story let me tell it out🎶

🎶Better yet, let me break it down and spell it out🎶

🎶The stories that I T-E-L-L always S-E-L-L very W-E-L-L🎶

🎶Everybody wanna R-A-P like us, but they could never B-E like us🎶

🎶Because we’re the only best O-N-E crew🎶

🎶Try to test us and you’re D-O-N-E through🎶

🎶Understand that we’re the one and only🎶

🎶DJ spin the next beat as I pass it to my homie🎶

As the crowd cheered, DJ Green Alert switched to the next beat which was the instrumental to the song “Uptown Anthem” by Naughty By Nature. As the beat came on Kevin ran off stage and a ready Eric ran on stage and began his freestyle.

🎶Break bash or escape fast. My crew is quick to throw away the hate fast🎶

🎶Come and catch the fade from the hate blast🎶

🎶We’re here to make you shiver and quiver🎶

🎶The rhymes we deliver squirm through you just like Slither🎶

🎶Try to test and your flesh is a mess🎶

🎶We don’t rest and never bring nothin’ less than the best🎶

🎶Packin’ punches that’ll knock the crowd🎶

🎶Yeah my flow is knockin’ loud🎶

🎶DJ switch the beat so my homie can come rock the crowd🎶

DJ Green Alert once again switched the beat to the instrumental of “It Ain’t Hard To Tell” by Nas. As Eric ran off the stage an anxious Mike ran on the stage and began his rhyme.

🎶It ain’t hard to tell. Hip Hop been killin’ it for 50 years🎶

🎶Most impactful music and I’ll say it once so hear me clear🎶

🎶Created by dope emcees who came from the streets🎶

🎶Made a name in the streets by dropping game to the streets🎶

🎶We come with ferocity of lyrics and they hit hard🎶

🎶Soak up all the knowledge from all the rappers that spit hard🎶

🎶Like so with what I’m saying in my long rhyme🎶

🎶They never thought Hip Hop would be here for a long time🎶

🎶But it’s a mystery. We’ve been here for half a century🎶

🎶They think our words belong in the penitentiary🎶

🎶I think not. This something you forever should know🎶

🎶51 years down and still forever to go🎶

DJ Green Alert cut the beat as the crowd erupted in cheers. “FREE-O TRIO! FREE-O TRIO!”. As the crowd cheered, Eric and Kevin rejoined Mike on stage in celebration. “I told you. See you killed it” Eric cheered. “Yeah you was fresh” Kevin added. “Yeah y’all were right” Mike chuckled modestly. The trio looked upon the crowd of thousands that cheered them on all in the spirit of Hip Hop.

~Happy 51st birthday Hip Hop. This short story is dedicated to all my heroes of Hip Hop:

Ice Cube, Tupac Shakur, DMX, Redman, Nas, Scarface, LL-Cool J, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G., NWA, OutKast, Public Enemy, Goodie Mob, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris, Eminem, Techn9ne, The Game, Cypress Hill, Wu-Tang Clan, Da Lench Mob, K-dee, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte, Prophets Of Da City, Westside Connection, Bone Thugs N Harmony, The Lox, Rah Digga, Lil Kim, Eve, Heavy D, E40, Mystikal, The Geto Boys, The Def Squad, Cassidy, Missy Elliot, Lil Flip, Big Sean, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Petey Pablo, T.I., Loaded Lux, Murda Mook, Timbaland & Magoo, Pharrell Williams, Lil Jon, Bow Wow, No Limit Records.