As the world celebrates HipHop turning 50 years old. On August 12th, 2023, in the city of Houston off Richmond Ave at the historic Club Metropolis was the display of Hip Hop’s Influence around the world. Batalla presented by Red Bull had Latinos from all cultures come together for a Battle Rap competition that was completely in Spanish. The music that the amazing Gracie Chavez was spinning was filled with inclusion of black and brown culture. The passion that dripped from each artist filled my soul. The community that I viewed entering the room warmed my heart.
As I walked into the venue to the right there’s a room full of tattoo artists and enthusiasts. Thanks to Red Bull I was able to choose from twenty different tattoos that represent Houston culture. There were 84’s, a hand throwing up the “H-Town” sign, and more. I received a Double State of Texas on my back by local artist PENG for Assassin Tattoo Freak. I love my tattoo and I highly recommend him.
As I walk out of the room of incredible ink, I see before me a crowd gathered around an arena set perfectly for a battle. The host announces all the competitors and brings the crowd to a boil. It was now time to throw the first contestants in the pot and from beginning to end the pot was hot. The winner Magimbri definitely held his own all the way to the end but one of the most scolding moments was when White Caracas grabbed the mic and murdered every bar. Though he only made it to the Semi-Finals, Caracas was the crowd favorite.
I sat down with White Caracas and asked him a few questions which introduced me to Artist I never heard of. He’s from Venezuela and came to live in Houston to pursue his dreams of Music. He spoke of his family and how proud they were of him. His inspirations include Aldo Los Aldeanos from Cuba, Randy Acosta from Cuba, Canserbero from Venezuela, Nach from Spain, and Benzine from Venezuela.
Photo By: Karlo Ramos
To hear how far and wide Hip-Hop has touched this world was an iconic moment.
This form of expression brought so many people together on this day. After the winner was announced it ended perfectly with That Mexican OT shining his light on the stage. The way he embraced the crowd and vice versa was an impactful moment. At the end of his performance, he expressed “I can feel the energy in this room from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet”. I truly understood what he meant watching interactions.
