BY BLAINE EWIG
Walking into the usually empty and harshly-lit Housing Community Center building for its first installment of a monthly open mic series, it was surprising to find a relaxing atmosphere complete with mood lighting, music and a good-sized crowd. The night kicked off with beatboxing and freestyle rapping by members of the Hip Hop Congress and quickly segued into a myriad of acts including spoken word, original songs, covers, and even improvisation.
A crowd favorite was Sam Bennett, who performed an original song titled “I Got Flow,” while backed by Myran Bryant’s beatboxing- some of the best I’ve ever heard live. The duo was skillful and witty, showing no hint of the bashfulness that is so often displayed by open mic performers.
[pullquote_left]“The crowd was enthusiastic and encouraging; any slip-ups by performers were met with applause and reassurance.”[/pullquote_left]
“I think it’s cool that we have a safe space to enjoy music together,” said participant Shannon MacIntyre. And it was exactly that. The crowd was enthusiastic and encouraging; any slip-ups by performers were met with applause and reassurance.
The event was a continuation of the open mics put on by the Hip Hop Congress last year in the first-year B dorm building, which were done without the permission of administration and were more of a DIY production. This time around, Hip Hop Congress is teaming up with the Greener Organization (GO) to put on an open mic every third Thursday of the month.
With the combined funding and support of GO and Hip Hop Congress, this now-monthly event stands as a testament to the clubs’ goals to gain prominent and active roles on campus. Open mics are a great way for students to showcase their talents and are also a way to build a stronger sense of community, which is exactly what Hip Hop Congress and GO are aiming to do.
“People are discouraged that things aren’t happening all the time,” said GO Vice President Kevin Schilling. “And we’re trying to change that.”
Photo by BLAINE EWIG
