It seems like the Blog Wars ended before it began; maybe we didn’t have enough ammunition to begin with. But in response to Manisha’s Ya’ll Needsta Take a Chill Pill dated 10th May, I think we might just be headed for something good, coming out of all his negative vibes we’re throwing at each other. I clocked 600 views two days ago, topclicking all the different parts to this episode. Thanks to Tomorrow.sg and Frontallabs linked my first post about it, and we’re getting so much attention now. It will be a pity if we don’t continue what we began and find a positive solution.

I would admit reminiscing ‘glory moments’ like Totally Booked (Geylang East) 2nd October 2003 where, for the first time, Xstatix performed against a videowall, and Public Eyez did their teary-eyed ‘Last Goodbye’, that is, if I remember correctly. Altimet hosted that show. There were great times like Platform 5, 6 and 7, and also the Mosaic Music Festival’s Hiphop bits organized by Sheikh Haikel’s Triqnaqi. Hiphop Hurray 1,2,3, but not so much 4 when Rauzan announced his exit from Beats Society and XS brought onto stage every person from Myspace to do a bit of their song.

However, it is the last Speakeasy in August 2007 (click on link for picture gallery) that gets me misty everytime I think about it. I’m sorry Fazli or Manisha or Rizal (or Bless, for that matter); I did not say I give up on Singapore Hiphop entirely and my ‘thesis’ is not to encourage you to give it up either if you love it so much. But I was just wishing for hints of progress and development. How long are we going to be fetuses and crawling babies? It’s already been 8 years since the first outdoor Hiphop gig in Singapore. We should have become self-sufficient, self-regenerating scene by now; with several organizers competing against each other, working on different conceptualized monthly shows, putting out different products like CDs, consistently published magazines, videos, and all these rewarding to both artistes and organizers in more ways than 1. But no, we keep on getting ‘aborted’, and we’d have to start the gestation all over again. I thought, I just refuse to do this to myself anymore, that’s why I left.

We have established the fact that the Hiphop consumers in Singapore (and f**k the Community Clubs who offer ‘Hiphop’ as aerobics) are ignorant to what we do or what we think about. The people getting fired up about this issue are those who have had a hand (or foot) in Hiphop event organizing, previously or currently active. Like Manisha said “members of the audience don’t give a shit to what we think or do”, even if they are, word is not coming back to us anyway. So my suggestion that if we are going to make business out of it, time is now. We have to put our egos aside, put our brains together, and work on The Perfect Singapore Hiphop Gig; that would relief us from our grievances. So now that we know that the gig-goers only want to attend gigs and not be bothered by what we feel about the scene as a whole, you must agree with me that people like Rizal, Fazli, and I (yes, we are known to be egoistical individuals) should come together (and those we believe can contribute and not just keep on exaggerating about their achievements; that’s none of you guys, trust me) and brainstorm the most ideal show, within our means, considering all restrictions on budget and logistics. Remember, my initial whine was about how disconnected graffiti, emceeing, breakdancing and the deejaying communities are in Singapore Hiphop, that can be our collective aim to pursue.

I do acknowledge how other organizations contribute positively to the scene and that’s why we should be working together. For example, we should be focusing on ideas like right now I’m really feeling how Sallihin’s camp is simultaneously promoting his 31st May Popcorn Playa event over on a each of their personal blogs and also a dedicated website. I’ve never been so thorough with my online campaign; something Speakeasy could have benefited from; getting all the performers to link us back. I also think it was brilliant for Fazli to link up the directions to get to the Arts House via a Youtube video at his site consdering kids these days who think that Golden Shoe is a footwear store, Forum Galleria is an online discussion group, and Emerald City is simply unheard of. Resurgence should have continued publication but you guys had your own ideas, and didn’t want nobody telling you guys what to do. We needed a printed solution like that, something that gets recycled readership so that for people who don’t come across our sites could probably get hold of it from their brothers or friends who do get a copy. B*Zine (link currently down) was given out for free, and we had alot of feedback when we gave it out to a bunch of athletes during a Zul Mystroe gig. Imagine the possibilities. However, at the same time, I also feel like Flava (Zouk’s annual Hiphop party) should be hiring rappers like Akeem and Krazie Starr by now, and not Terry Lee and his camp anymore. The rap segments in Singapore Street Festival should be scrapped or given out to legit Hiphop event organizers to pitch show proposals like Esplanade does for their outdoor programmes; even the cash prize of $3,000 is not attracting anybody to come watch or participate. It’s the same people this year, I’m telling you. Because the judges comprise of a Filipino artiste, a local musical-theatre singer/actor and a businesswoman who thinks Richard J should learn some dance moves a bit to win the match. No wonder the dude wrote “Change Me”.

The Perfect Singapore Hiphop Gig would fall on a Saturday at an auditorium location never used before. Sound system must be better than what’s been used before. And the use of colourful lighting, visual backdrop is a must. The show shall be tightly rehearsed with the music almost entirely brand-new (you won’t hear Hot Tonight), and the show will partialy supported by a live-band and instruments uncommon to the regular gig-goer. The graffiti completed before the start of the show will be the backdrop for camwhores to take pictures (well, we should be accommodating to youth of today, right?). The DJ will warm up the audience, and also play a set later for the breakdancing item. No dancers, sorry, unless they are accompanying the performer and even that, only if absolutely necessary. Performers are chosen by panel of organizers made up for 3-4 different organizations. The host of the show should not be the performers/organisers. One of the hot new acts performing on that day will release their new single via bluetooth, so everybody turn on your functions. All the performers are required to update and spam their own sites with info about the events, and everybody attending are encouraged to blog about it afterwards. Show should be short and sweet, no draggy sets, and no Freestyle segments where you get to publicly rip-off Eminem. The dancefloor should be open to public at the end of the show while the quieter folks go outside to buy merchandize, and CDs and if Sleeq’s performing, open up the autograph booth. What?? And then, all proceeds from ticket sales shall be split amongst performers and manpower, as agreed in the contract before everything started. So we shake hands and hope we can repeat this, and go back to see the great feedback we get on our sites. I am allowed to dream, right? If you see, the ideas I’ve mentioned above, should cater to different levels of Hiphop lovers, and none of that old-skool vs nu-skool bullshit. You, yourself know that will not work! It is Singapore Hiphop, we are allowed to create new standards.

If Sallihin’s project in his Events Management module; a mock-up gig, could possibly clock more patronage than 65&Hope’s Floetry (happening on the same day) and cause so much hype, doesn’t that go to show we ought to learn from each other and work hand-in-hand by now? I’m calling it truce. I can commit to parting with my knowledge and networking contacts in order to put together The Perfect Singapore Hiphop Gig if you’d do the same with your ideas and skills to be a part of it. In other words, exploit each other. How about it, folks? If not, then too bad for all of us.