San Luis Obispo and hip-hop. They might not seem like the usual combination, but SLO Underground is an attempt to make hip-hop a more common part of the music scene in San Luis Obispo.
After the first SLO Underground in March had a big turnout and a positive response from the crowd, Superb Reality, a local promotion and production company, is putting together SLO Underground 1.5 as a preview to SLO Underground 2.
“1.5 is just an in- between show for SLO Underground 2, kind of a smaller version to generate publicity,” said Cari Pimentel, a social sciences freshman who is helping to organize the show.
Graphic communication sophomore, Rachel Cherny agreed and said it is a great promotional idea to generate hype for the second installment.
“We had such a great response from SLO Underground 1,” she said. “It will be fun and people who missed the first one can come.”
Pimentel said people reacted well to the first hip-hop show.
“It’s awesome for SLO to have something like that,” she said. “People were asking when the next one was going to be.”
The show will feature performances by Mental, Dejavoo and D Serna, who are all artists from the Central Coast. It will be co-hosted by Pimentel and WORDUP, an artist from the Bay Area.
“We actually had to turn people down to perform,” Cherny said.
One of the main attractions of the night is an emcee battle that anyone can enter.
People can sign up at the door and place a $5 bet that goes toward a cash prize the winner will receive.
Since 1.5 will be a smaller version of the first SLO Underground, it will be held at a smaller venue; the Steynberg Gallery.
Though the gallery often hosts shows by local bands, this is the first time they have hosted a hip-hop show.
Cherny said that they had a hard time finding a venue because there are not many in San Luis Obispo.
“At first we were like, um, an art gallery? Let’s look around a little bit more.”
She went on to say that the owner was receptive to the idea of hosting a hip-hop show and sounded excited about it.
Both Pimentel and Cherny worked at the first SLO Underground and were asked to organize this one by Rob Cee, who organized the first show.
“We did a lot of promotional work for that show. We passed out flyers for months beforehand,” Cherny said.
Because she isn’t musical, Cherny helps out with other aspects of putting together a show like this and makes sure everyone else is ready to perform.
“I like to do whatever makes things run more smoothly and helps take stress off other people,” she said.
SLO Underground 1.5 will be held on Thursday at the Steynberg Gallery, 1531 Monterey St. Tickets are $5 and doors open at 7 p.m.
“We want anyone to come to SLO Underground 1.5; everybody’s welcome,” said Pimentel. More information on the show is available at Superb Reality’s Web site, www.superbreality.net.