#facemeltfriday

This was the 1st time I met @sagefrancissfr The 2nd time I met @bdolansfr The only time I was ever willing to give up a date & reschedule my #FaceMeltFriday show series so someone else could headline a night I had already booked. I told @strangematterrva how much I respect @epicbeardmen & @strangefamousrecords It would be a honor. All I asked is that I get a chance to open for 2 MCs who represent the very standards and work ethic I live & am inspired by. Funny how things come full circle. #StrangeFamous #StrangeMatter #SageFrancis #BDolan #EpicBeardMen #DIYMFS #FBF #NoW #RVA #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/CbQ5dMoLVY-/?utm_medium=tumblr

#TBT I think the look on my face tells this story better than I can. Long story short, don’t try to start fights at my events. Ever. #FaceMeltFriday #RVA #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHyjlySjoLf/?igshid=118202arh0k7w

#Thankyou @strangematterrva for giving me a chance to create & do something bigger than myself, but not just for myself. Thank you for giving us a stage, a platform, for allowing me to throw #FaceMeltFriday over 40 times. Thank you for last night, which was arguably the greatest & largest #HipHop show I have ever thrown, & the best show I have ever been to & performed on. Thank you for being a safe place where #artists could be themselves. Thank you for always being there for me & so many others. Thank you for that night on the rooftop. Thank you for accepting me, for treating me like #family. Thank you for motivating me, for supporting me even when I was an #alcoholic & for providing infinite shirley temples when I quit drinking. Thank you for every email thread, for every #cathartic conversation at the end of the night. Thank you for saying yes when everyone else was thinking no. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for holding me accountable, for making me responsible. Thank you for watching me grow & find myself on your stage. Thank you for teaching me the performance & booking end of the #musicbusiness. Thank you for making me a #leader. Thank you for friendships that will last a lifetime. Thank you for bringing the best out of me. Thank you for allowing me to prove to everyone that we can do #incredible things when we work together. Thank you for allowing me to part of your #legend, and for being one of the most meaningful chapters yet of my story. Thank you for showing me time & time again that #success is worth nothing if you do not share it with the people who make you worth something. Thank you. #StrangeMatter #929 Forever #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrTczTJnJC8/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1szfvgw2m0uy4

#TBT alright so here’s another long one....This is the #flyer for the first #FaceMeltFriday ever. @swerve360digital originally put this up and it really brought so much to mind. Who knew we would go on to create a sustainable business plan and a process, that we would carry this thing forward for over 7 years and 43 shows. For those who think it takes money to start something or that Face Melt Friday has ever been about #money, when i printed this flyer out I was on #foodstamps and i barely made anything on this first show. I was broke but I believed in what I was doing, as I still do today, and i made a choice time and time again to sacrifice my time, effort, and whatever else it called for regardless of what was going in my life to put people that i believe in on @strangematterrva stage in hopes I could inspire them to believe in themselves as much I do myself. To put the dream first because no one else was willing to truly give me or us a chance. I like to think we succeeded...as over the journey we sold the venue out, brought @bigbabydram to Richmond for the first time back when he was just Drama J, gave artists the opportunity to perform for the first time in front of their families, showed people that this thing is real but that it’s always going to be up to you to create, and so much more. I learned about this #game too...it would be hard not to when you book 20+ artists on one show, have to communicate clearly, learn how to make a schedule, learn how to promote, and anticipate everything going wrong (as it usually does) while running the risk of people being angry with you over things you can’t control. Most of all though I’m just thankful. Nanci Raygun was the first stage i ever stepped on and I went from being at those shows to throwing so many shows for generations of artists, and I’ve made genuine friends. None of it would have been possible with Swerve being an incredible mentor, #StrangeMatter and their awesome staff believing in me, my team always pushing me and being so patient, without every single #artist whoever rocked a face Melt Friday crowd, and every person who came to support this #HipHop All i can say is THANK YOU! WE #RVA #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqN3GBsHvAs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19cd60sr8lxu

This may be a lot to read but hey, we’ve earned it: Last night we closed out another year of Face Melt Friday’s at @strangematterrva. Not only did I host and #DJ this one, but i performed too. Why? Because we have done this 43 times and just like the first, I am willing to do whatever it takes for all of us to win. That’s what quality leadership is and means. 43 times I have worked with my team over who knows how many years to put #artists on stage for #FaceMeltFriday. All #independent, all organized and booked by our hands, all promoted by us and the artists on the bill. #FaceMelt was built from the ground up, as it is literally an #idea I came up with one day while doing push-ups, and Ive worked hard for it to happen no matter what was going on in my life. first by my hands, and then with the help of so many others. I’ve seen and learned so much and have been reminded time and time again that no matter how hard or frustrating it gets because of not being able to please everyone or dealing with unfavorable weather or whatever, that it is always worth it. I am thankful. We are fortunate. We are worth it. I have so much #Love for our #HipHop for #Richmond and for providing people the opportunities I often found myself lacking, be it #Radio consistent #shows without the #politics, or just an outlet. I have chosen time and time again to share it all rather than focus solely on getting myself a chance to be seen and heard. To be willing to win with you all just as much as i am willing to fail with you all. That’s what success is about. Sharing. Whether youre in the crowd or on the stage, We have created and sustained this over these years. we made this happen, together. We have made our dreams a reality. So thank you to everyone for sharing their success with me, and thank you #StrangeMatter for replying to that first email and giving me a chance, for giving us a reason to defy the odds and expectations time and time again. For making Face Melt Friday your longest running event series, period. I say this with a heart full of pride and a mind full of as many plans as possibilities: WE #RVA (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqAwD2Dn28k/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=efqcdhjq1qli

The day is finally upon on us! See you all 8pm at @strangematterrva for the last #FaceMeltFriday of #2018!! #HipHop #Rap #Independent #804 #757 #RichmondIsForHaters #WOFTD #TNJC WE #RVA (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp-PENPHg1i/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4i1ikgxfhyn0

The last #FaceMeltFriday of 2018 is TOMORROW. See you at @strangematterrva For our 43rd #FaceMelt #Friday!#HipHop #Rap #independent #804 #StrangeMatter #757 #RichmondVirginia #VA #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp7-bM6HfMo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=3exp8edbxpfd

Next week 11/9 is the last #FaceMeltFriday of 2018. This has been a wild, successful year and I look forward to celebrating with you all....and Melting your faces!! Get your #tix now from any of the tagged artists! #HipHop #Rap #FaceMelt #804 #757 #WOFTD (at Strange Matter) https://www.instagram.com/p/BppdMtWHDrW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16h4an7torhbr