In case you all haven't heard, because someone put up a tag in the bathroom and the staircase next to the venue, Hells Kitchen won't be having any more hip hop shows...and I quote:

"ya tagging is a big reason why you won't be seeing much more hip hop at HK. pretty much over it.there is an Island Trybe show on Feb 17 and Partners In Crhyme are bringing in a national on feb 21, and that will be the end of hip hop at HK unless KRS ONE is coming back or something comparable. It's not worth the retards and their pens/cans with anything short of 400 people there."

This is fuckin bullshit for many reasons. Firstly, i cant possibly see how HK could be responsible for the goings on in that staircase as far as graffiti is concerned. If they are, that's a bum deal for them. Secondly, if they're trying to improve their reputation/image, they shouldn't have even called it Hells Kitchen. period. because that name brings its shit-hole, punk-rock, dive-bar reputation right along with it in my opinion. When I first started playin shows there last year, a lot of people would say something along the lines of "Hells Kitchen?? Isn't that that grimy punk bar? fuck that." And as far as tagging goes, generally speaking, i see it like this: a hip-hop cat is most likely to write his graff name if he tags something up. on the other hand, a punk/metal kid is most likely gonna spit on the wall an write something like "Fuck Christ" or draw a dick or an anarchy symbol or some shit like that. and that's on the real. I mean c'mon, how often do u see a mosh pit at a hip hop show? which crowd sounds more destructive to you guys? i guess we'll see, but i have a feeling after awhile, they'll realize this was a big fuckin mistake.

Yeh you bust up a tag and it pisses them off but put up a punk rock sticker and your ok. Fuck that. I feel like flash and HK is personally taking this out on all of us in the hip hop community which is like a big slap in the face. Honestly though who gives a fuk.

And by the way just kuz someone tagged your shit don't make them a retard.

The deal is this- The regular crowds at Hell's Kitchen have figured something out- Don't shit where you eat. Why would you fuck up the place that lets you kick it? Would you go to your friend's house that he JUST moved into and hit the bathroom wall and his neighbor's fence? Reign and Eric had a lot of problems with graff at the Freshblends shows and that all got worked out- it basically got put to them- stop it or the shows stop. and with good reason.. Every other Wednesday the bathrooms were wrecked and so was the outside of the building that they LEASE. they don't own the building. I'd be hella pissed too if I just spent that much time, effort and money revamping a space to open a venue to provide people with a place to play and they just rolled in and fucked it up.

...and this is coming from somebody who used to paint.

ERIC- come to the SWISS! NOW ! Bring your stuff!

don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it was a good idea at ALL for someone to tag it up....not that it didn't cross my mind when i saw the open canvas of a bathroom lol. and I'm not even so much bothered by the fact that none of us can play there, but by the fucking ignorance of the entire situation...DAMMIT! every time i say situation i think of the jersey shore.

eriksoderquist:

I hurd at one of the rock shows they had a big crazy night and some dudes broke into the bar area and tried to jack a bunch of bottles. how is that not shitting in your back yard. Or the punk rock show where dude broke the glass in the front door at the old venue. And all the stickers in the bathroom will be back. I'm sure of it. So yeh you can be mad that someone tagged your shit, but you don't come out and trip on all your friends if someone tags your bathroom or neighbors fence.

yea...one of my best friends is in that punk/metal band Point no Point, they played at HK this past Friday...HK had to kick a dude out for headbutting the wall too much haha...i was at the old HK awhile back with him, our friend got his head split open in that little alley on the side by some guys for no reason at all. its all just so fucking stupid to me....bottom line is that some jerk off with a paint marker doesn't represent the entire Tacoma hip-hop scene.

That tagger also just crushed over one of my homies tags in tacoma.. lol I smell a tag war coming on..

i agree Zachary, the New Frontier is pretty dope little spot.

no doubt lol

Yeah, i agree with michael. Sad but true way to view it.

schmaltzy, so you wont be 21 one day?

Michael put it right on the dollar.

shit, by the time im 21 there may not be a hells kitchen

Keep dreaming guys.... Bottle Service??? In Washington? Not in this lifetime. It's illegal and the WSLCB will see to it that it stays that way for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time.

joeski:

Keep dreaming guys.... Bottle Service??? In Washington? Not in this lifetime. It's illegal and the WSLCB will see to it that it stays that way for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time.

we can always dream.

ohhhh, i like that idea a lot. how about a man station? urinal, tv, and tap all in one.

i know, we would make the state some coin.

lol

Sawchosiz:

bad bad word like "swag" I hate it

I'm with that!

Thats too bad.

I knew it would happen sooner or later. Not really a loss in my opinion.

I'm interested in hearing why you think there will never be a local scene here

@gatsby barely

@253hiphop because the general populus in Tacoma, WA is not gonna truly support a local rapper's music/shows until they're on TV.. that's when everybody's gonna say "I supported you the whole time!", "I bought all your CD's"

this is a much better way to handle things
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=101082656

I was talking with another downtown club owner last night at jazzbones, and told him about this situation, and he told me that city ordenince fines venues / building owners if they don't remove tags quickly in that area, so when ya guys say that the staircase isn't their worries you're wrong since its part of their building.

Now on that note, I also talked with flash today as I got a punk rock show coming up there at the end of the month, and I have a few hiphop shows coming up this spring I am gonna be doing for a few peeps, and asked him if he is totally dead set on no hiphop at the kitchen, and he said he would re consider and think about it, but its makes it really easy to say no, when no one buys booze until 11pm at hiphop shows and when their building is being tagged during the show. and also the sound issue is being fixed sooooooon.

Joeski, I believe that is the same tag we're talking about heh.