The Story
SHHO Presents: The High Fidelity Tour
Supported by SHHO, AMP Late Night, IPAX, and The Center for Student Diversity, Tanya Morgan and five fellow hip-hop artists performed this past Saturday in a show that left audiences satisfyingly exhausted after incredibly energetic performances of hip-hop and break dancing.
The College of William and Mary’s branch of the Student Hip-Hop Organization, SHHO, began in the fall of 2007 by three lovers of hip-hop music. Blair Smith (’10), Bobak Kasrai (’09), and Lamar Shambley (’10) started SHHO here at the College based off the preexisting organization at Virginia Commonwealth University. Inspired by the desire to change the negative views of hip-hop often perceived by society, SHHO aims to not only bring people who are already interested in this genre of music, but also to invite individuals who are new and unaware to it.
Smith says that SHHO “brings together those who love hip-hop” and in doing so, allows the student body to passionately share their enthusiasm and support for various artists.
Starting off, Jerome Waller ('12), aka JB da Pilot, a student of the College, took his place on stage and after a few shout outs to his supportive freshman hall mates of last year, performed without a hint of nervousness or uncertainty. The audience, after having waited with anticipation since the doors opened an hour before, was very pleased and evidently so, by the shouts of approval and applause that concluded his portion of the show.
Intalek next came upon stage to an energetic crowd and did not disappoint. With an infusion of soul, hip-hop, and rap, Intalek gave a performance of a more eclectic sort of hip-hop than was expected, and it was much to the delight of the audience. Along with the performances by Richmond natives Millz and Nickelus F, JB and Intalek set the mood for the bigger names that would perform, firstly Kooley High.
A regular favorite at the College, Kooley High returned for the third time on their first tour with Tanya Morgan. Smith hopes that Kooley High benefits from performing for SHHO by having students in the audience spread their success and aid in enlarging their publicity on the basis that their music is enjoyable and accessible to fans.
In between performances, the break dancing competition took place, much to the delight of the astounded audience. Bboy groups from Virginia Commonwealth University, Christopher Newport University, and The College of William and Mary competed in a battle of intense moves with Intalek as the announcer. Although there was no pronounced winner of the dance-off, all three groups had the audience in awe as they moved their bodies in ways unimaginable to the average student.
Last in line for performing was the highlight of the show, Tanya Morgan. Comprised of three members, Don Will, Llyas, and Von Peas, Tanya Morgan is quite a highly acclaimed up and coming hip-hop group.
“Like the sons of De La Soul,” stated by SPIN Music Editor Charles Aaron, the old-school group performed the singles "Laura’s Song", "So Damn Down", and "Bang N Boogie" from their new album, Brooklynati. The stage presence of the three artists was incredible; they had the audience enthusiastically moving to the rhythm and even attempting to rap along. With creative lyrics and catchy beats, Tanya Morgan successfully won the approval of the Williamsburg stop on their tour.
Although being held at the same time as the South Asian Students Association conference at the Sadler Center on Saturday, February 27th, the show had a substantial turnout. SHHO is genuinely interested in presenting a positive image of hip-hop to the campus and hopefully getting a more diverse attendance at their events.
Fortunately and encouragingly to current members of SHHO, Smith states that she sees “more and more new faces that [she’s] never seen before at every SHHO sponsored event,” which is a testament to the hard work of the organization. In creating a more diverse and extensive network of listeners, SHHO can continue to support reputable artists and even go so far as to encourage and aid aspiring student artists here on campus, such as JB.
In terms of the future of SHHO, outreach and events will be done to create a more publicized presence on campus. Students at the University of Virginia have contacted the College’s branch to help in the establishment of a Student Hip-Hop Organization in Charlottesville. Smith, former AMP music committee member, likes the idea of bringing K’NAAN and Wale to the College in April and encourages SHHO members to support the big artists coming to campus, as well as the lesser known names. SHHO members at The College of William & Mary are a minority in the community, but with the backing of remarkable events, such as The High Fidelity Tour, their numbers are growing rapidly.