Freestyle Mondays Synopsis of the week!!!

Art is one of those indescribable, influential and extremely powerful forces in everyone's life. It's something that I, as an artist, am very passionate about. Whenever i hear of an event set up to showcase peoples talent and creativity i try my very best to make it out and show love and support. Freestyle Mondays NYC is an event that has been running for ten years strong now (est. in 2001) on 116 Macdougal where musicians from all over (shouts to Yuki on the keys!!!) come through to lend their talents to the live band creating the back drop for the numerous emcees who come out and do their thing. accompanying the music, Artists of various mediums put pen, marker or brush to canvas and create illustrations as the festivities commence. It's almost impossible not to fall in love with the warm and extremely welcoming atmosphere, the positive vibe and the family dynamic of avid supporters will definitely capture you. Since hearing about the event i've been in attendance for almost a month now and don't intend on missing one Monday. If you love hip hop, art, drinks, cool people and a good time i urge you to come out, contribute and/or just show support. The homie Shlick Smit (emcee and avid supporter) writes a synopsis every monday of what goes down every monday this is the synopsis of the passing monday ... peep it:

 2/13/12 - “You heard the left side of my chest, cuz that’s where I invest”— Illspokinn That line right there pretty much sums up a core element of what makes Freestyle Mondays so special. From the very first time you come to this event you can feel the soul and energy that pulses through everything being created. Every week you can find 116 filled with people who have incredible passion for being at FM and relish the chance to jam with the family. Needless to say, I don’t know many people who have a one night stand with Freestyle Mondays. In fact, most of us become heavily involved. So this week, while people were buying roses and cards and other last second love substitutes, we were making it happen. Don’t get this review confused, this is the Anti-Valentine’s Edition. This means,”Fuck Valentine’s Day, how about Every Day”. Well, at least every Monday. I was able to get to the spot early, which meant seeing the full set from Illspokinn. Just as a reminder to everybody, 1030pm is the starting time and it’s in your best interest to be there from the beginning. John, Chris, Lenny and Yuki were the house band and had us feeling the love right from the first note. Ill and Mariella riffed on the importance of Valentines Day and freestyled some great songs. Ill especially went in on the last joint, expounding upon the family tree. Also, always a treat when you get to see Mariella rapping as she and Illspokinn did a little role reversal. You can really tell how much fun they are having when they are performing. Great stuff. Great to see the every week faces in line: Rabbi D, Grand Phee, Prop Anon, Skittelz, Rickman, Megaciph. These guys come out and kill it week in and week out and show lots of love. A great evidence of the passion at Freestyle Mondays are the less experienced emcees. FM is a great place to come hone your skills or just fool around on the mic. Whatever the case, the mic truly is there to let you freely express yourself. Shout outs to all the emcees who come out every week and just get better and better. Much love to the ladies who I have been seeing coming out on a consistant basis. I’d love to see a night where we have an equal ratio in the line. Every emcee loves a good beatboxer and every beatboxer loves a good emcee. It’s a relationship that works. It was good thing Grey Matter was in the house to lay down some futuristic beats. The live art was fantastic again. Chuck was working the brushes and painted one of my favorite pieces I’ve seen at FM so far. Now it would seem that the party was over after the incredible instrument solos that are the trademark ending, but alas, it was the pre-party. When Ill tells you to stick around, he means it. I got involved in a little cypher with Rick, Skitz, Alex, Ill and Rabbi. Then a dance battle broke out behind us which took over the whole bar. If you have never seen a drunk Lex Sadler battling a drunk Rabbi Darkside, you haven’t lived. Even Lenny couldn’t take it easss( ease?). All in all, Fm and I had a nice little Valentines Day. I even got a ride. ‘Til next week………………. - Shlick Smit

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