Scribble Jam 1996-2008
First off, let me just say thank you to everyone who has been reaching out about Scribble ג09. Sorry for putting you on hold, but we had a lot of things to consider. This letter explains it all. Sorry itגs a bit long but I wanted to really try to capture the full situation. If you just want the details without the theatrics, skip to the last two paragraphs ☺
Itגs hard to believe that weגve been doing this for 13 years! I still have vivid memories of pulling into the parking lot of Annieגs in the Summer of ג96 on a blind mission and it just so happened that event (Scribble Magazine Premiere release party) was what become the first official Scribble Jam later that summer. Before I got out of the car I recognized that I was surrounded by Graf artists painting everywhere, DJs rocking on 4 turntables (1200 Hobos), MCs freestyling on the mic and breakers getting down on a sheet of linoleum. I instantly said to myself, גWhatever this is, I want to be a part of itג.
I think that is what most Hip Hop fans felt as the word about Scribble Jam traveled and the event grew from an Ohio thing to a Midwest thing to an International Phenomenon.
There is an extensive list of artists who got their start at Scribble Jam or had their careers take off or enhanced because of it. Scribble Jam is viewed around the world as having some of the most competitive, entertaining, and famous battles of all time. The MC battles at Scribble long ago become the quality standard for what an MC battle should be.
The people involved in making this event (myself included) have always gone about this event as fans that are passionate about Hip Hop Culture. The goal has been to throw an event that could bring the diverse Culture together to experience Hip Hop of all styles, eras, backgrounds and represent for all of the various גElementsג of the culture. Thatגs something Iגm proud to say we achieved from our performing artists, Graf exhibitions, our various battles (DJ, MC, B-boy/girl, Human Beat Box, Popping/Locking) & touring schedule.
I think it is safe to say that Scribble Jam helped redefine the standard of what a Hip Hop festival could be. Although many Hip Hop festivals may have existed before us and even more have sprung up since our start, you would be hard-pressed (dare I say unable) to find one that has successful incorporated all of those elements and remain as consistent as Scribble Jamג¦.13 years.
With all that said, we have been thinking very long and hard about this year. The requests for performances, tour dates, battle contestants, vendors, and so on have been pouring in and all wanting to know when Scribble will be this year. The answer, unfortunately, is that there will not be a Scribble Jam this year. This was by no means an easy decision. There are several reasons why we made this choice but ultimately it all comes down to basic economicsג¦the money just isnגt there.
I think I speak for the rest of the Scribble Family when I say we werenגt doing this to get rich from itג¦sure the thought of that potentially happening crossed our mindsג¦ha, but if that was what we were waiting on we probably would have quit a long time ago. We all spent countless hours putting together Scribble every year. I donגt even know how I could explain what goes in to making it happen. Personally it had become a year round commitment for me and I was fine with that because I love doing the event and the feedback from the fans and the artists is inspirational and vastly appreciated. However, with the current status of the economy, which effects everything from people being able to afford an event like this to the lack of corporate sponsorships, we feel itגs best for us to take some time to regroup, refocus and reassess the future of Scribble Jam.
I want to thank everyone who has ever supported the event in any way; the fans, competitors, artists, vendors, sponsors, DVD buyers, and so on. You are the reason why this incredible event could last for 13 years!!!
Weגll keep you posted on our website and myspace page with any updates for our future plans as well as the 2008 DVD. Definitely hit up either of those with your comments, suggestions, feedback, and all that. Peace
-Kevin Beacham 3-31-09
http://scribblemagazine.com/
http://www.myspace.com/scribblejam
Scribble Jam 2009
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kevin beacham
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no shit. i didn't think i was going to read that coming into this thread. damn, kevin. keep hope alive, homie. hope that it's not the end of the road for Scribble.CasOne wrote:though I havent went to scribble in the past couple of years, this thread actually made me depressed....this shits a midwest staple. Sorry to hear it kevin.
i was really aiming to come back this year, i missed it. hip hop can't take any of these festivals for granted. i certainly don't.
peace to those who live to carry on tradition
stay up, y'all
You're in Heaven right now, God.
Create the universe you dream of.
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Thanks for everything Scribble's become. From the legends to the DVDs to the quality compilations, as a 22-year-old Scribble's always had its important impact in my hip-hop life. This was going to be my first year ever going to the event. I'm saddened, but I understand. I guess I have to wait another year before I retire from battling.
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Sage Francis wrote:Here are some follow up thoughts of my own.
Even though music has never been easier to obtain, musicians (and people in the music industry) are in an incredibly tough spot.
There's nothing that we can do about that, so I'm not complaining. I just want to point that out. Shit has never been easy, and now it's tougher than ever.
With the download revolution everyone was like, "Oh boohoo...the good musicians will make money at shows."
But really, even the shows are a kick in the ass. Being able to get shows booked...being able to travel to shows...expecting people to come out and support. It's not happening as much as it used to.
My last headlining tour was in 2007. I will definitely headline another tour, but I've been holding off on touring and releasing any new material until I see things even out a bit. We've got artists on SFR busting their asses and it makes me really proud. Fuckers are booking their own shows (that's so 1999) and playing for peanuts just to have their voices heard and spread their work. Yet, we still have people who are like "meh...maybe I'll check them out next time."
Really? I hope this news about Scribble Jam wakes people up to the fact that there might not be a next time. And that's just how it is. No emo.
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BiggJonStud
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Jon where the fuck have you been? You still in louisville? check your pm.BiggJonStud wrote:Well that's a damn shame. I've had a lot of fun at this event for a lot of years. Lots of great stories and experiences.
Well Thanks Kevin and company for lots of good times. Hope to see you guys re group in the future.
Mac Lethal wrote:Less people are going to some shows, because there are more shows to go to. People's musical palettes are becoming more distinct and picky. But still, I have no complaints about my turn-outs. Maybe one, but Sage's new promotional vehicle is fixing that.
Record sales I don't necessarily believe are down. There's more music to choose from, so big corporate artists don't effect people the same anymore. People are like, "I know I'm supposed to like Ashley Tisdale since I hear her song ALL the time, but this Bird and the Bee group sounds so much cooler to me. Fuck Ashley, I'm gonna cop Bird and the Bee."
Like I've said beore, major labels and the RIAA say record sales are down.
But um, I sell like thousands upon thousands of copies of CDs that do not get reported to soundscan, or retail for that matter. I can only imagine how many CDs people like Gucci Mane has sold that have not been reported.
The wealth has truly been redistributed. It's absolutely murdered large corporate record labels, and even in some cases hurt smaller indies.
But we are the smart ones who adapt to the climate change and make it work for us.
Steal Sean's music all you want. Actual supporters of music pick up your slack by buying multiple copies of CDs + t-shirts + his little nephew Mac's album.
I am a hustler baby, I'll sell water to a whale.
Am I even on topic?
Peace, flying to California.
Wait, is Ashley Tisdale even a musician? That's just some name I have floating in my head.
I was kinda off topic.
Scribble should for starters:
A. Hold their festival in a more fruitful town than Cincy.
B. Change their battle platform. That freestyle off the top uv da dome shit is kinda lame to people. I am MUCH more into that accapella shit that all the crackers stole from the streets of New York. That Grind Time written battle shit. I don't care if it's not completely improvised. It's MUCH more entertaining.
C. Not hold their festival in Cincy. Try LA or something.
D. Not pay novelty acts vast sums of money just to give cultural flashback. Jaz-O doesn't need to go on stage. No offense Jaz-O.
I dunno. They don't have to throw the towel in. I think they should restructure everything from head to toe, like a genre's crowning festival would/should/could do.
Here's my main idea:
Have every finalist from the past Scribble Jam battle in a bracket.
Like PAY a decent guarantee, with the possibility of a large prize to:
Adeem, Sage, Brother Ali, Eyedea, Peace, Thesaurus, Mac Lethal, Juice, Rhymefest, Nocando, Illmaculate etc.
Bring all the finalists back, give us time to REALLY come up with some dope battle verses, then throw us in a giant acapella pit with a live microphone and no beat.
Team up with Grind Time and Fight Klub or something. But follow the trend of what's really cracking now.
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