Garrett Briggs, a senior and archeology major, is giving Albuquerque a whole new way to celebrate Halloween.
Briggs worked for about six months to create a Halloween hip-hop show, “From Dusk till Dawn,” which will be on Halloween night at Black Market Goods in Nob Hill. Six East Coast hiphop artists will perform in the show. “The show is supposed to be just a lot of fun with some unexpected turns,” Briggs said.
The artists performing include Victorious, Wisemen: Kevlaar 7 and Bronze Nazareth, Nigel Prime, Uephoric and DJ Jimi B. This is the first time any of the artists have performed in New Mexico, Briggs said. DJ Jimi B, one of the artists performing,
has been a DJ for 20 years and also works with the group Government Cheese.
“This will be the first show Garrett and I will be doing together,” DJ Jimi said. “I work with all types of music but I usually use the hip-hop techniques. DJ work caught my interest when the original hip-hop exploded in the late 80s. The idea of manipulating sounds really appealed to me. It was modern and really exciting. Being a musician, I find that the
sampling and techniques of DJ work is most addicting. The art form of being a DJ encompasses so much.” The purpose of the show is for everyone to have fun while participating in something different, Briggs said. Since the show will be on Halloween, the audience is encouraged to dress up. A $100 prize will be awarded for the best male, female and couple categories, Briggs said. Briggs said his previous experiences with the featured artists gave him the inspiration to put on the show.
“I want to give the artists their chance to show themselves,” he said. “I have worked with them and know that they are really hard-working individuals. They deserve this opportunity.” The show is available for all ages, but is geared toward ages 18 to 25, Briggs said.
He said this show will display the cultural diversity of Albuquerque and its dedicated hip-hop followers. “Hip-hop is universal,” Briggs said. “A lot of artists are now expanding and even using different languages in their songs. It’s neat to see the power of music. Music brings cultures together.” Briggs said he wants to celebrate the changing seasons. The show also gives the audience an opportunity to dress up and be a someone different for a night, he said.
Briggs said he met the artists through his brother-in-law. “My brother-in-law makes beats, and has always had a love for music,” Briggs said. Victorious, an artist in the show, said he is originally from Brooklyn, N.Y. and lives in Virginia. “I love the art form that hip-hop offers,” Victorious said. “I first got interested while watching others make history (and) while bringing in some new things to music. I started writing and trying out all the aspects. I really enjoyed it.”
The audience can meet-and-greet the artists for the show Friday at L.A. Underground from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at L.A. Underground and at the event for $15.
