Videos

William Michael Griffin Jr., better known as Rakim, performed at Fitzgerald's during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston. Rakim is one-half of the Hip-Hop duo Eric B. & Rakim. He is widely regarded as "The God MC" and one of the most influential and skilled MCs ever.

Local mainstream media had failed to promote their artists and producers, so local producers took matters into their own hands.

DJ Mas caught our attention with his in-demand skills and ability to repair Technics 1200s. Besides being a DJ, DJ Mas repairs Technics 1200 turntables, bringing them back from the dead and pimping them out with a variety of finishes and lighting.

The Lamborghini Festival is a three-day event that celebrates the Lamborghini lifestyle. The Festival held at City Centre drew a large crowd with more than 50 Lamborghinis on display. The weather was excellent, and the day was highlighted by Valentino Balboni, who signed autographs and took photos with guests.

If you dig deeper into Houston, many underground cultures are not covered by the lamestream media. This lack of diverse coverage does Houston a disservice by diluting its overall character. Outsiders looking in do not have a complete perspective on the city. For one, Houston has a rich hip-hop culture, and by the looks of the hip-hop struggle, the true meaning of hip-hop lives in Houston. 

Red Bull knows how to build a brand—they do it by supporting their fans through many sponsorships and lifestyle events. One of their most popular lifestyle events is BC One, which stands for Breakdance Championship One. The Red Bull BC One Qualifier made its way to Houston, Texas, with an impressive turnout of over 500 people.

House Music's deep, driving, and soulful dance music is emerging from the shadows, with underground events popping up throughout the city. The Blueprint is the latest House Music-related event to debut in Houston. The Blueprint is a house dance competition conceived by Damian Lopez and Noey Lopez.

Houston Roxx is the latest festival to hit Houston, Texas. So, what is Houston Roxx? It is a two-day music-and-art street festival by day and a street party by night. We were in Houston's historic 6th Ward on Saturday at the Houston Roxx Street Festival. Mandy, one of the event organizers, said their vision was to host an event that reflects Houston's diversity.

What thoughts come to mind when you hear the word hacker? Probably nerds going rogue and doing very, very bad things online. While this is true in some cases, hacking is good. To engage hackers, solve problems, and help build the overall technological infrastructure, the City of Houston, Texas, hosted its first 24-hour hackathon.

What is Maker Happy Hour? Houston has a vibrant, creative start-up community that, unfortunately, slides under the local media's radar. To raise awareness of Houston’s growing tech and startup scene, Jeff Reichman launched the Maker Happy Hour, a networking event designed to help creatives make, market, and sell their work.

Could you ask yourself this question? And let's be honest, you won't have an answer. It's not a good one anyway because you will never know until you ask. Funny how that works, eh? If you are a creative, an artist, an entrepreneur, a game-changer, or whatever you like to call yourself, you know that it takes a village.

Scratching has come a long way since its birth in the ’70s. This art form has grown, becoming complete with fan groups, competitions, and events. Take SkratchPadWorldwide Skratch Sessions, for example.

Combine six DJ friends and their love for music and food, and what do you get? OMG, Unce Sunday Fun Day! Electronic Dance Music, brick oven pizza, and drinks set the scene for a fist-pumping afternoon of dancing, hanging out, and great conversation. According to Jamsheddy, each DJ in the group has their musical style and has the opportunity to blast their tunes to an appreciative crowd. 

Texas Illest B-Boy competition was Hip Hop in its pure form—not the watered-down commercial version that caters to the masses. Dancers of all kinds were in the house, including parents, children of all ages, and a diverse mix, including out-of-towners from Florida and Guam.

Unfortunately, Houston does not have an excellent reputation for attracting big shows or talent. Fickle fans, low turnout, poor marketing, and lack of consistency are the usual suspects that make shows hesitate to come here. The city has potential, but it’s an uphill battle.