EVENT: 2ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS JUICE RECAP

Last night was the deja vu in the best way. Christmas Juice was easily the best time that I had all last year. It was the first time I had the chance to see Ascend, Shawn Parker and SeaanBrooks live. It was also the first time I got to see the wave in person, :30 had people out on the edge of Tacoma and basically on PLU's campus. The best part about it is the discreet location and the young ownership - M&J's Lounge (508 Garfield St. S) understands and is inviting to the youth. There is profit in the chaos and they're smart enough to see it. 

The night started like any - late but once in motion it was literally non-stop. Act after act the energy continued to ascend. Aramis's DJ set was a highlight of the night - starting with Glocc40 by Larry June the mood was set and so was the tempo for the night. He controlled the bounce so much that at one point I found myself reciting the words to the devil himself Young Thug's 'Best friend'. Good job Aramis. The Shawn vs Sean set was well orchestrated, both of them played their current bangers and kept the energy where it needed to be following the Aramis set. An up and coming artist Yohiness definitely made his presence felt somewhere in the mix of the night as well. We've seen him once at open mic but we'll have to pay closer attention.

But it was the end of the night that we all came to see so after an interlude by Nyles Davis (shout out to the Seattle faces in the building) the main event began and first up was the BBE squad. Buje went first - his sound is very much trap trip hop and heavy, like dragging a dead body. After the burial Ghoulish performed some of the Horchata and Hennessy cuts, this is when I blacked out, but I vividly remember dancing to Benz like I was driving one. By the end of their performance it was clear that the people were impressed. Murmurs ensued. Headlining right on time the :30 set was a mosh pit of energy and joy, any and every body in the building jumping up and down for every hook or quotable line from the young emcees SheedBe and Scooby Miles. You could see the excitement on every face - they believe in :30 and the wave they've begun for the youth here in Tacoma. Much like last year it was an eye opening moment in terms of watching how much the wave has grown. It's really all due to their consistency. 

Though there were plenty of memorable flashbacks from the night there was a tipping point, the height of the night was PHX's (:30 founder) performance of 'Loot'. The building almost imploded on itself from all the bodies jumping in unison. They night rounded out with ':30 for :30' an unreleased song that is a classic in the 907 offices and has been for months now. Needless to say I lost my shit and couldn't find it until around 3AM when I managed to find my way to a pillow. 

Don't miss this again - it's an annual event. Thanks again to Bishop and DJ_QJ for putting this together.