Midwest natives will perform music dedicated to progressive messages and lyrics at 10 p.m. today at the Root Cellar Lounge for Just Due Records’ Rap for the Right Reasons.
The event features Midwest rappers, each with 20-minute sets, and a comedian with a 25-minute set. A DJ will play between sets and again at the end of the night. Performers are Indianapolis hip-hop artist Sonny Paradise, Bloomington hip-hop artists Stakzilla and P Rimitive, and Bloomington comedian Joshua Sullivan.
“Rap for the Right Reasons is trying to highlight emcees and artists who aren’t just promoting negativity in any form, whether it’s misogyny or racism and stuff like that,” said Terrance Amos, who works at Just Due Records and organized the event. “Most of the acts we have are pretty progressive thinking in the hip-hop world as far as trying to not fit the norm and just do ourselves.”
The event is intended to produce a sound that is different from what audiences are used to hearing, Amos said.
“There aren’t that many artists that have my substance as far as content,” Paradise said. “It’s always what most would say is a dynamic thing. I make conscious hip-hop fun.”
Though Paradise has performed at a variety of locations, he said Bloomington has a distinct energy when it comes to his performances.
“I feel like the energy that comes out for you guys is always going to be on a high level just because I love performing there,” Paradise said. “I’ve been doing it for a long time and not everywhere that I go do I get the kind of response that I get from you guys.”
Amos and the Root Cellar have put together similar events in the past, including a monthly rap showcase that is now a quarterly event, said Danny McKinley, manager, booking promoter and bartender at the Root Cellar.
“We’re going to go quarterly just so we’re not, you know, exhausting the idea,” McKinley said. “We want to make it more special than just your average, everyday show.”
Amos said he developed Rap for the Right Reason into an event that focuses on artists and the distinct sounds they can produce.
“There’s a lot of acts around that are very talented,” Amos said. “Without the proper amount of funding it’s really hard for them to get heard, so we try to dig up artists that have ability, and we give them a chance to showcase that talent.”
Whether through message music or comedy, the purpose of the event is to bring a different kind of sound to Bloomington’s stage and interact with the local audience, Amos said.
“I will never turn down coming to Bloomington to perform because every time I’m there, it’s always love,” Paradise said. “I live in Indianapolis, and the crowd participation lacks here. Bloomington, on the other hand, is something totally different. You guys are receptive to everything that’s put out.”
