A few venues here in town have given us no problem. A few took a little convincing, and a few we figured out a way to get in. We have done many shows at Zapp's Park. It's small, but that kind of makes it intimate, and everyone always has a good time. But at the same time, not very many people would like to go out to blackstone/olive at night. One place that didn't flinch I mentioned hip hop was Cafe Corazon. You don't usually relate coffee with hip hop, but it is one of the most fun places to perform. A few other all-age venues just won't allow hip hop, but we've gotten in by teaming up with some rock acts to do sort of a fusion night. Up to now we have performed at Zapp's Park, Cafe Corazon, Starline, Babylon, The Crossroads, Tequila's, and Rep's here in town. But I know places like Red Mill and Plan B also do live hip hop.

my suggestion is to go to the crest theatre on saturday night (07-12) and find out.

i think you're right about venues being a little wary of hip hop. sadly, some of the problems have been due to the venue themselves. club fred, under previous ownership, seemed to be a magnet for problems, and definitely had issues during some hip hop shows.

also, i know i've seen mike oz mention how several local venues don't understand the sound needs, book people, and when the artist shows things aren't right and so they don't play. that's not really the issue for local hip hop, but i guess that there are local artists on the bill along with the outside talent.

lion, you promote, what venues are open to hip hop shows?

It's nice to hear somebody that actually gives a crap about local hip-hop. And to the other responses to the post, your support would be well recieved at any of our (L.I.O.N. Records) artists shows!

One problem hip-hop faces out here is that a few of the more well known venues "don't want to deal with it". They feel like additional security will be needed and cops will come and all sorts of crazy things. I guess they think there will be a shooting or drug deals or something like that. Anyway, how can an artist be taken seriously by the public only being able to play at places most people don't like to go, or have never heard of? That is probably one of the reasons you really don't hear of many of these shows. We have had great turnouts and not so great turnouts like any other struggling musician, but support from our city would definitely be a change for the better.
Check out John Holiday, or Alpha Force. Up and coming Hip Hop artists from right here in your backyard. You won't be dissapointed!

Very little local music gets taken seriously by the local population. This is lack of support by the local population is not helped by acts that they don't take their music seriously either.
Committed players like you and Trey Tosh are being taken more seriously than any local acts in a long time maybe ever. The press, media and local arts community are very impressed and supportive but most of the population of the Central Valley still have no idea who you are or what you do. If you're not in the national media it's like you don't exist. So I guess any local act has to get on the Network Nightly News, Fox, CNN, and the Leno, Letterman or Oprah shows before the Fresnans will recognize them as legit.
Try not to commit a crime to get it to happen, please.
Wouldn't be nice to be nationally recognized for great music instead of our fine collection of multiple murderers?

good question patrick. i'll give it a try with a few qualifiers:
1. i love hip hop
2. i love local music
3. i can't speak for hip hop as a whole.

to me, i don't know if local hip hop can really draw. i've been going to local shows for quite some time, and i just haven't seen it. take 40 watt hype as an example. they've been at it forever. i enjoy their music. see them @ starline and you've got to get out there and shake it. but, if they were just trying to make it on fresno crowds (at the shows i've been to) aaron et al wouldn't have food on the table. a great, local, live hip hop doesn't seem to draw.

another example from my life is the first undercurrent show. ibid played that night, and once the technical issues got worked out he was fabulous. most of the crowd really didn't care. i didn't know everyone there but i'm sure there were people there that like hip hip. (now, i've seen ibid be very well received @ post art hop shows.)

i realize these are two anecdotal incidents. maybe it's just the circles i run in, but i rarely even here about a local hip hop show. i'm friends w/some local hip hop artist via myspace so i here about what songs they're working on or things like that but shows seem few and far between.

maybe i'm just cynical, but it seems like a lot of the people who could be into the local hip hop scene are too interested in buying into the national acts that are being force fed to us by radio, mtv, bet, etc. couple that with an idea that is included @ the beginning of the roots' album things fall apart, "hip hop records are treated as though they are disposable, they're not maximized as product even, you know, not to mention as art." this is true of the industry and the artists, imho. everyone is looking for the next homerun hitter (eminem, mc hammer, biggie, tupac, jay z) instead of looking for the solid players, the guys that will give you a good product every time even if it isn't a million record seller.