Hip-hop is truly a brave, triumphant soul. It has endured the most adverse conditions, at times in the hands of its own constituency, yet continues to live and breathe. And over its thirty years of existence, we have observed that some things are a given. Many will sell records; many will attain fortune and fame. But only true visionaries affect the winds of change and leave in indelible impression in its wake. Danny Castro and Anthony Marshall are of such a breed. And Lyricist Lounge has made such an impression.Founded in 1991 by hip-hop aficionados Castro and Marshall, the Lyricist Lounge concept was birthed as a series of open mic events hosted in a small studio apartment in the Lower East Side section of New York City. And while their tiny apartment had a maximum capacity of 25, this did little to deter them from plodding toward their dream of creating an unprecedented incubator for raw talent and unsigned hype throughout the five boroughs of the city and beyond. The pair suffered countless closed doors and closed minds as various venue managers relayed their disdain, stating that an open mic hip-hop event would never prove successful in a nightclub environment. But with the hip-hop mantra of “can’t stop-won’t stop†in tow, the undaunted duo gave chase to their dream with a steadfast conviction. Their die-hard adherence to this vision would soon pay off. In ensuing years, the pair would take The Lyricist Lounge to various venues throughout New York City and go on to develop consistently successful events for a steadily blossoming fan base.Since that winter night in 1991, Lyricist Lounge has matured into an internationally recognized and respected brand name and company. And with the faith of a wealth of sponsors and supporters, Lyricist Lounge continues to retain its relevancy in hip-hop. In addition to a multitude of New York City-based showcases, Lyricist Lounge has facilitated three (3) full-length album releases, seven (7) domestic tours, two (2) seasons of the MTV sketch comedy series "The Lyricist Lounge Show" and two (2) DVD releases: "Lyricist Lounge presents Best of Hip Hop Videos" and " Dirty States of America".From the beginning and to this day, the artist has remained the main focus. And for this reason, The Lyricist Lounge has bore the honor of being the springboard of development for several of today’s biggest hip-hop stars. Past up and coming Lyricist Lounge artists include 50 Cent, Mos Def, Eminem, Talib Kweli, Foxy Brown (14 yrs old), Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and Notorious B.I.G. These acts have all since gone on to secure recording contracts with major record labels such as Geffen, Universal, Interscope, Def Jam and Bad Boy. It is through those very winds of change that Castro and Marshall have become true mavericks in hip-hop. Catalysts, if you will.Through perseverance and preservation of the culture on their own terms, they have sparked the pistons of change that will echo on for future generations of b-boys, beat makers, battle MCs and beyond.=
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