Before we continue on from our previous post about this year’s FOCUS Wales takeovers, we wanted to mention that FOCUS Wales not only hosts their annual conference and festival in Wrexham but they also do showcases of Welsh talent, including rappers, around the world. So far they’ve taken: Niques, Skunkadelic and Mace The Great to Pitch Scotland; Ogun, Mace The Great, Unity and Blankface to New Skool Rules in Rotterdam; Mace The Great to Reeperbahn in Hamburg; Ogun to M For Montreal; both Mace The Great and Lemfreck to New Colossus in New York; Lemfreck, Minas and Mace The Great to SXSW in Texas; and plus Mace has just been confirmed for the first SXSW London alongside Adjua.
As well as all of these they put on the Transform Festival at Aberystwyth Arts Centre in February and host a stage at In It Together Festival, which had Niques, Magugu, Lemfreck, Ogun, Luke RV and Minas performing last year.
Now a message just for the artists. If you’re frustrated that the same names keep getting these opportunities, then use that frustration to push yourself forward rather than hold you back. My advice would be to never ever complain about these things. It’s not anybody else’s responsibility to see your potential, it’s on you to show them and help them to believe in you. Ask for advice, make sure you’re always in the right places at the right time. If they’re still not getting it after you’ve tried your best, then either find another way round or consider if it’s the right route for you. Not everyone is purpose made for the music industry, that doesn’t undermine your artistic abilities. I’m not trying to call anyone out here, just trying to help everyone progress.
Now back to this year’s Saturday showcases.
Starving Artists
From 15:35 until 17:50 our good friend Tumi Williams aka Skunkadelic will be hosting some of the artists that have been getting him excited recently. As well as two local artists, he also has a couple from North America this year. This all takes place at Old. No. 7.
Pr1nny - young rapper from Mold in North Wales with both Jamaican and Nigerian heritage.
Teon Gibbs - soulful chords and 808s from a Vancouver rapper via Botswana. UK and Angola.
Bruna Garcia - early 2000s rnb sounds with a fresh, fiery Cardiff meets Cape Verdean energy.
JoethePoet - Bronx born rapper who has shared stages with Rakim, GZA, Slick Rick and Benny The Butcher.
Plus although they’re not part of the showcase, you should definitely stick around for Charlie J at 19:50 and Figo at 20:40.
Red Roach & CBT
Between 18:00 and 19:20 the Fat Boar will play host to a local record label making some serious noise and the Northern branch of a much needed nationwide artist development and support network.
Pr1nny - there’s that name again and we’re assured she’s going to be one to watch
D100 & OD - great artists in their own right but also work hard giving opportunities to others.
Evrah Rose - esteemed rapper, label boss and published poet performing some new material
Kenny Cadence of Hate Being Sober - the Mold based rapper will also be performing tracks from his forthcoming album.
Diff Radio
If you need a bit of a skank out then make sure you check out The Lab from 14:00 until 16:00 because Calypso Sounds and Hope will be shelling it down there. Both also have shows on the new Cardiff based radio station launching next month.
That’s all of the Welsh artists we’re going to cover but there’s so many more if you’re also into rock, pop, folk and indie. There’s also more rappers from across the globe so do consider coming to join us this year, although we can’t stress enough that if you’re performing at this year’s conference as an artist, don’t just rock up and treat it like any other show. Consider it as a business trip where you can network, set up meetings, work out deals and if you hustle hard enough beforehand, you’ve got the chance of a packed out show full of event programmers, festival organisers, managers, agents, press and other industry people. Figure out what you want from being there and go get it.