UPTOWNflavor

Mr. Dawson, a Harlemite with a pen as his weapon, offered up his experience at the Apollo on his blog Dawson Ink.

Yeah … so I didn’t sit still yesterday. At all. In fact, I went to the Apollo Theater TWICE yesterday — once to get tickets for a show they were hosting last night as part of their Salon Series entitled, “Grown Folks,” and then again for the actual show later that night. Sigh.

I suck at sitting still.

The show was great, though. “Folks” was held on the Apollo’s new third floor soundstage and starred hip-hop ambassador Toni Blackman (check her myspace page for more info) in of all her rhyme-spitting, singing, talking, affirmation-having glory. When you check the myspace, check her songs “Beyond the Bling” and “Hollywood Dreams.” Hot shit. Seriously, the next time she goes on tour, you need to see her when she comes to your city.

Joining Ms. Blackman for the 90-minute set was newcomer Saddi Khali, a brilliant artist that was displaced by Hurricane Katrina and settled here in New York, hooked up with Ms. Blackman — and the rest will hopefully be a great history for the 33-year old. He opened the show with poetry, shifted into a few songs and then made way for Toni … only to join her later for a few duets.

Just a wonderful show in front of an intimate crowd (no more than 80 in attendance), complete with audience participation and a live band. Yup, a live band. So, yeah … I had a ball.