Local Spotlight: Lobotomix

It started off like most local events.  Dimly lit,a small crowd, (if you can even call it that), and music playing in the background. The stage is set and a projector shines the event logo on a blank wall. It’s Lobotomix’s 7th year anniversary showcase, held in the  show area of Saturn Bar and Coffee Shop. At this point, doubt is setting in and I’m wondering if this will be a waste of time. As I pan the room, I see some of the performers begin to trickle in with merchandise to sell to the fans they hope to gain from the night. Ron and Ebony are with me and I remember saying to Ebony that I would base my opinion on whoever performed first. Ebony insist that I give it more than that. Maybe 30 minutes after arriving, the host Rashid Qandil comes out to give his intro to the event then  brings out the night’s first performer, D-Gut. From that moment, skepticism quickly turns to optimism and new music is loaded onto my phone and implanted into my soul. As the night progressed, the crowd I mentioned before began to thicken and become lively. The event also included performances by Cutt Dogg, Eugenius, Monastary, Urbandy, Nerves Baddington, Pen Pals, Shaun Judah and hometown heroes-KLUB Monsta.

However, the standout was No Suh Foster, whose energy alone, permeated the entire crowd, but it was his infusion of hip hop with spoken word that hit you at your core.   Although I left early, due to work obligations, I walked out of there a fan of this movement and a fan of a few local artists. And I even bought some merchandise.

That’s the purpose of the Lobotomix showcases, for people like me that often think my city has nothing to offer musically. My faith in the city, if only for a moment, had been restored. Not one artist sounded like anybody I had ever heard. You could hear their influences but everything sounded and felt original.

Lobotomix was founded in 2009 by Rashid Qandil. Comprised of independent socially conscious emcees, DJs, and b-boys, Lobotomix strives to preserve the original roots of hip hop and provide an alternative to today’s commercial influence by hosting local showcases and providing access to artists not widely known by the masses.

You can find a Lobotomix event in Birmingham at least twice a month at either Syndicate Lounge or Saturn. Calendar below:

Lobotomix Event Calendar

Visit Lobotomix.com to find out more and also hear some of the artists that perform at their events.