Tonight, there’s an open mic show at Le Bull, tomorrow, there’s a Hip Hop show at the Hip Hop Cafe. Those two facts, by themselves, might not stand out that much, but together, they could very well signify the future meeting space of activism, the arts, off-grid living and organic farming.
There’s an open mic every Thursday night at Le Bull. It’s called Mic Chek and is hosted by local political hip hop artist Jay Manafest, fronting a funk rock band. It also turns into an open jam by the end of the night. Likewise, a hip hop show at a place called the Hip Hop Cafe, a new venue on Parc corner Villeneuve, seems very appropriate and not out of the ordinary.
What is unique here is that both shows make up the launch of WTSP or the World Truth Speakers Posse. This collective of artists hopes to fund a learning centre that teaches off-grid living techniques and doubles as an organic farm and recording studio.
The farm is already a reality and just a quick drive from Montreal. The recording studio is being built, with most of the work starting in spring.
Once it’s finished, artists will have a chance to record on professional equipment with a professional producer for free, as long as they don’t mind planting some vegetables. Promotion? WTSP takes care of that, too.
As part of a crowdfunding initiative to build the learning centre and the recording studio, the group will send paid subscribers a compilation every two months from artists on the WTSP roster, some established, some up and coming. Once the first learning centre has been built, WTSP hopes to expand the concept globally.
But that’s all in the future, let’s talk about this weekend. Tonight’s lineup at Le Bull, in addition to the usual open mic and open jam elements will feature musical and spoken word members of WTSP taking the stage. On Friday, the Hip Hop cafe will welcome PsynLangwage, Lucky Lex and Jay Manafest.
Whether you’re interested in a new movement that could very well reinvent how we see the arts, activism, healthy organic eating and off-grid living interacting or you just want to check out some great local artists, WTSP has something to offer you over the next two nights.
The WTSP launch is Thursday at Le Bull, 2170 St-Catherine Ouest, 8pm and Friday at Hip Hop Cafe, 4801 av du Parc, listening party 4pm, show 7pm, both shows are Pay-What-You-Can
