In 2007, I was invited to perform at the Gem and Jam Festival in Tucson, Arizona. At the time, I was focused on improvisational freestyle raps and considered myself an artist at large—ready to collaborate with any DJ or band. While there, my manager suggested I team up with a San Francisco-based electronic trio called BLVD. The idea of merging my spontaneous lyrics with their unique sound excited me for what lay ahead.
I agreed to join the band on stage, thinking it would be a fun experience. When I met the guys, they seemed like a great crew. However, there was a snag: the headliner was set to perform at the same time inside the venue, leaving us with the outside stage. I figured it might be a pretty empty space for our set.
As I joined them on stage, I was immediately drawn in by the tempo. It wasn’t the typical hip-hop beat I was used to, but I had a passion for rapping over all kinds of instruments and styles. The electronic sound blended seamlessly with my flow, and I felt right at home in this new musical landscape.
As I stepped onto the stage and began rapping, it felt almost surreal—like the lyrics were prewritten and memorized just for this moment. To my surprise, the crowd that was headed inside for the headliner started turning back to watch us, gradually drifting over to our stage.
It was a magnetic experience. Hearing a rapper perform, especially over electronic music, was unexpected in that scene back then. I had initially thought the audience would be indoors, but to my delight, most of them stayed outside, captivated by our set.
I can’t recall exactly how long I freestyled with BLVD that night, but it was enough to leave a lasting impression on the audience, the band, and myself. When I finally stepped off stage, my manager was buzzing with excitement, wearing that unmistakable “I told you so” grin.
I felt an instant connection with the band, and afterward, they invited me to join them for a gig in Flagstaff, Arizona. Just like that, I transitioned from being an artist at large one day to touring with a three-piece electronic band the next. Over the next two years, we traveled together, releasing one full-length album titled “Music for People” and recording a second titled "Return to Center," which remains unreleased—though I hope it sees the light of day someday.
In looking back on that transformative moment, I find myself asking: what dreams might we be leaving unpursued, simply waiting for the courage to step onto the stage of life?
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