<\/p>\n
When local hip hop artist, Taktikz, decided he wanted to do a fundraiser for Hospice Huntsville, he knew Huntsville Bowl would be the perfect location.<\/p>\n
“I had two goals in mind. To raise money for Hospice\u2014it felt dear to me because my grandmother, her last days were at my house and I realize it’s a tough job\u2014and my second reason was to shed light on the hip hop scene and give it some credibility in this area. There are a lot of stereotypes. So trying to break the barrier and give us a better reputation,” he said.<\/p>\n
He approached Huntsville Bowl manager, Lora Sawyer, who was immediately on board.<\/p>\n
“We had been talking about doing jam nights here,” said Huntsville Bowl owner, Julia Richmond. “We wanted to be that place, that hangout for all ages. Because we are a family-run business and we are a family establishment, we can both serve alcohol and have children here after certain hours. We aren’t restricted like other places. It’s kind of a nice place for a band to come that young kids might want to come with their parents to see and experience [the music].”<\/p>\n
It had exactly the all-ages atmosphere Taktikz was looking for.<\/p>\n
“I try to focus on all ages shows, because kids don’t always have a lot to do around here,” he said. “We didn’t have the opportunity growing up to get on stage and perform, so that’s why at this event I got some brand new artists, some young kids on stage. That was another goal of mine, to give them an in into the industry.”<\/p>\n
The performers at Hip Hop for Hospice included Taktikz, his right hand man Brickz, guitarist and the man in the mask, Hawkrawk, Corrosive Dosage who some will know as the son of HHS music teacher Jordan Riley, young artists Connor Reid & Krooked in their first ever live performance, Persistence, a young Toronto artist, and sound engineer and DJ, Scott Pelling.<\/p>\n\n\t\t