With all that’s going on in the world and the various assaults on POC happening all over the world some time you just need to be in the presence of your people in a positive setting, on one accord. That’s Trap Karaoke.
Pioneered by Jason Mowatt, Trap Karaoke is the DJ playing your favorite song and breaking the track to let you and the crowd recite the punchline… for 4 hours. Its a traveling family reunion full of cousins you’ve never met. Hosted by LowKey but co-hosted by local significant figures, in our case DNas (Fresh Steps, Streets Is Talking Radio) the experience is almost spiritual.
Cousiiiin! -Lucky (Tupac)
TK’s first visit was an adventure. Parking sucked and the line barely moved. It was almost a 2 hour wait, more to do with the venue. But once inside, i forgot how long i waited to get in.
You get all the classics that held you down for summers. No Limit, Cash Money, Bad Boy, Slip-N-Slide, Roc-a-Fella, and Death Row jams. I’m not just talking singles, primarily all the songs that they couldn’t play on the radio. Not to exclude new favorites from Future, Migos, Fetty Wap, Drake, Rih, and Beyonce. This would normally suffice for any urban area in the united states but in the Bay Area we dance a a little different. We’ve cultivated a music scene that has over time been replicated in main stream music, but not from the artists that created the sound (Shout out to Drake using Rappin’ 4 Tay’s full verse from 1994 in YG’s “Who Do You Love”).
Trap Karaoke came prepared by collaborating with major keys from Tha Area. First go round DNas was the supporting host with DJ Red Corvette conducting the crowd. The Duo introduced the Trap Karaoke organization to the real bay area. The build up happened with Diligentz, Go-DAV, and IAMSU. Then DNas and Red kicked it into overdrive when they played D-Lo. With the energy at an all time high and the building literally shaking LowKey asked to run it back.
It was a night for the culture. When TK says they aren’t promoters, they’re community organizers, it’s real.
This time they collaborated with #regularsonly (a meeting place for the steezy people who like to party without all the superficial extras the club scene brings). DNas co-hosted with support by rapper, photographer, producer, DJ, Renaissance man Erk Tha Jerk. The buzz from TK’s last sold out appearance generated a partial spectator crowd. Some just wanted to observe the spectacle. And i don’t blame them.
Rain kept some people away but the many of us sung it out under the tents. TK takes on a life of its own. When the DJ stops, the crowd keeps going. Case and point with an ode to the original Kimberly Jones. A participant struggled through Lil’ Kim’s “Crush On You.” As the LowKey and the DJ wrapped her set the ladies in attendance continued to homage her.
That is what TK is about, appreciation for the music, and the people. See the video mash up below. For more information and tickets visit www.trapkaraoke.com.