Editor’s Note — Hellified Vertical, a new music showcase comes to the L.E.S. tomorrow night. It will be the first of a five-part series presenting various genres of music including Soul/R&B, Hip Hop, Rock, and Latin at Leftfield Bar on Ludlow Street. Each event will be filmed for development into music based reality programming spotlighting the emerging talent on the scene today. The showcase series will culminate in a special finale installment that will take place during the CMJ Music Festival in October. Lo-Down contributor Royal Young spoke with producer and co-creator Kimberly Knox about the series:
YOUNG: What was the inspiration behind your new music showcase at Leftfield Bar?
KNOX: With our new showcase, Hellified Vertical we (Asqui MG/Ubiquita Worldwide) wanted to empower emerging artists to explore various avenues of getting there music out there. Today’s industry is anybody’s game. Long gone are the days that make signing to a traditional record label the only viable way of getting to the top. We are a showcase that is built for the new media landscape. Each event will be filmed as content for a forthcoming web and mobile based series. In addition we are utilizing our professional resources from the worlds of advertising, marketing, art, music and fashion
to bring together NYC’s creative elite and give them first crack at the stars of tomorrow.
YOUNG: Is there a specific sound or type of music you associate with the Lower East Side?
KNOX: Ubiquita started out 13 years ago as a dance party in the Lower East Side at the legendary Guernica (formerly Save the Robots) If I had to characterize the soundscape of the L.E.S., I would say the original Ubiquita NYC slogan, which was “acid, jazzy, funky, soulful hip music that rocks.” We also had a very strong base of the Ubiquita sound in House Music. The L.E.S has always represented what’s next on the scene musically so we felt it was fitting to present a showcase that would span multiple genres of music that create the pulse of the underground.
YOUNG: Are you going to try and focus on New York artists who reflect the Lower East Side’s gritty, artistic history of pioneers? Or do you have a different musical direction in mind?
KNOX: Our focus is on GOOD music and on individuals that grind. The hustle and drive of the indie music scene is definitely represented in the musical legacy of the Lower East Side. Musically the showcase will focus on multiple genres including hip-hop, soul, house,rock,latin, dub step, electro etc.
YOUNG: What does New York City sound like to you?
KNOX: Like a Gilles Peterson DJ set!
YOUNG: How will your own musical passions be reflected in your showcase?
KNOX: I am a live event producer by trade so presenting live music has always been my first love. When Dewry Bradford of Asqui Music Group approached me about joining forces to create this new content venture, I felt like this was the time to return to the L.E.S. where it all began and film this new era of emergence. Ubiquita has over the years presented so many prolific artists including Somi, Alice Smith, Caron Wheeler, Omar, Tamar-kali, N’Dea Davenport, Joi to name a few. We are excited to move into this new era of emergence and elevate artistry via this new media platform.
HELLIFIED VERTICAL // Wednesday, June 12th // 7-11 PM // Leftfield Bar, 87 Ludlow Street (bet. Broome & Delancey)
