Culture Over Everything Presents: Happy Birthday To H.E.R.
Soundpony
August 11, 2023
“You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.” This iconic line from The Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Juicy” kept running through my head as I reflected on the night I’d just witnessed: a celebration of 50 years of hip-hop at an Oklahoma dive bar. After 50 years, hip-hop has reached not only the streets of New York but the entire world.
But who would’ve thought we’d see hip-hop in downtown Tulsa? It made sense for this celebration to happen at Soundpony, which has been a pivotal venue for Tulsa hip-hop for many years, helping the scene grow by providing a place to showcase local talent—at first, only on off-nights, but more and more on more premiere nights like Fridays and Saturdays. From the days of Oilhouse and World Culture Music and The Yeti to right now, hip-hop has carved out a home right here in the heart of the city.
The slogan for the night was “Real Emcees Don’t Rap Over Vocals.” This is the campaign that Marcel P. Black, who organized the event, has taken across the country. And for this “50 years of Hip-Hop” celebration, the stage was filled with his definition of what makes an M.C.: an artist that can “Move the Crowd.”
The first performers up were the rookies in the game. For Tribe Luminescent, a trio of emcees who represent the new school (Shyheim Nwadiei, 7urreaL, and Zorro), this performance was both a moving send-off for Nwadiei and an affirmation that the Tribe will stay alive. Another new voice that took the stage was Dupri. There have been enough J. Cole comparisons for this rapper already, so I’ll just say wait a couple of years and the world is going to know “Who Dat.”
The night ramped up as the veterans took the stage. Mr. Fluid, a legendary M.C. from Jackson, Mississippi who traveled to share his love for his culture with the world, showed his rap prowess with versatility and nostalgic rhyme schemes. Next up was 1st Verse, who was the coolest person in the building. His performances are legendary in the Soundpony; during his performance the bartender handed him a shot mid-set, and he rapped the whole verse and didn’t spill it. Marcel P. Black closed out the show, moving the crowd through the use of call and response and getting the people to wave their hands. During his performance the sound system started to static, something he overcame by rapping his verse acapella: the epitome of “Real Emcees Don’t Rap Over Vocals.” Now that’s an M.C.
Hip-hop has helped millions of people express themselves in a way that no other outlet could. Here’s to the next 50 years—and to its continued excellence in Tulsa.
The Pickup's reviews are published with support from The Online Journalism Project.
