Where to see emerging hip hop? (Atlanta: live, club, places)

[ATLTJL]

I've asked this question to a variety of people, but never gotten a satisfactory answer.

Atlanta is a center of hip hop, lots of artists are from here. So I'm wondering, what are some good venues to see emerging hip hop acts?

See, I come from the world of rock and roll. If you want to make it as a rock band, that means incessant live performing. That's how you get good, and how you try to get discovered.

I've been told that in hip hop it doesn't work that way. Instead, you try to get on well known mix tapes and get your name out that way. Still, I think hip hop artists must have to do live performances to try to get their names out and if nothing else to hone their skills. But there don't seem to be any well known (at least not to me) hip hop venues.

Let's say you have a friend coming in from out of town and he wants to see some local hip hop. Like where Outkast, Ludacris, or T.I. might have performed before they made it big. Where might that be?

[bornjacksonian]

You can check out Club Crucial (TI spot) on Monday nights they have open mic there. It is located on Bankhead Highway (Donald L Hollowell ... pray before you get over there). The one time I visited TI had a going away celebration. I think everybody and their mama performed that night lol. Also there is another spot called Apache Cafe who have open mic too. I can't remember what day though.

[ATLTJL]

I was told one time about open mic at Apache Cafe...

But I was kind of thinking along the lines of places that actually book local hip hop acts, not just an open mic night that anybody off the street can walk up and do.

Or are the open mic nights for really good acts that have worked on their peformances? I'm hoping for a place that features people who have really put thought and effort into their acts, but just haven't made it big yet. I think of open mic nights as places where any old Tom, Dick, or Harry can get up for a few minutes. Is this thought wrong for the kinds of open mic nights you are speaking of?

[atlyoungin]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I've asked this question to a variety of people, but never gotten a satisfactory answer.

Atlanta is a center of hip hop, lots of artists are from here. So I'm wondering, what are some good venues to see emerging hip hop acts?

See, I come from the world of rock and roll. If you want to make it as a rock band, that means incessant live performing. That's how you get good, and how you try to get discovered.

I've been told that in hip hop it doesn't work that way. Instead, you try to get on well known mix tapes and get your name out that way. Still, I think hip hop artists must have to do live performances to try to get their names out and if nothing else to hone their skills. But there don't seem to be any well known (at least not to me) hip hop venues.

Let's say you have a friend coming in from out of town and he wants to see some local hip hop. Like where Outkast, Ludacris, or T.I. might have performed before they made it big. Where might that be?

Check Creative Loafing. They list a few different spots where and up and coming rappers (and others) will perform. The names of the spots escape me right now.

[bornjacksonian]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I was told one time about open mic at Apache Cafe...

But I was kind of thinking along the lines of places that actually book local hip hop acts, not just an open mic night that anybody off the street can walk up and do.

Or are the open mic nights for really good acts that have worked on their peformances? I'm hoping for a place that features people who have really put thought and effort into their acts, but just haven't made it big yet. I think of open mic nights as places where any old Tom, Dick, or Harry can get up for a few minutes. Is this thought wrong for the kinds of open mic nights you are speaking of?

You're looking for local hip hop acts right? Those are people off the street ... who hustle daily on the streets trying to get their name out there. These places does not book anybody for a few minutes, these are actually ppl who are trying to get their name out there. Open mic at Club Crucial is not Karaoke ... potential rappers do perform. I don't know what else in detail are you looking for, I suggest you go and follow local rappers on twitter or facebook and see if they may update their pages with new information.