"General, I Salute You" Words by YaBoyJavi

New York City has dozens of Hip-Hop showcases for unsigned and independent artists to show-and-prove themselves. Some give winners pocket change, while others provide artists with media exposure. YaBoy’s been to many and there is one showcase whose look is unlike the rest. That’s the Elegant Hoodness Showcase hosted by AD da General.

What’s so different you ask?

First, the General holds her showcase – dubbed the “underdog” showcase – in Brooklyn, far from Manhattan's Bowery and SoHo neighborhoods, where most of the city's other showcase hosts and promoters hold their events.

Second, the Elegant Hoodness Showcase is housed at “dungy” spots like Forbidden Ones MCs, a bikers club in Bushwick and Sultana’s lounge in Williamsburg. These locations are in some of Brooklyn’s gullier hoods and reflect the grit of the underground artist, according to AD, not the glitzy and glamour of established artists.

“Everybody picks the most popular venues in all of New York City to do their shows. We decided to keep the Elegant Hoodness Showcase in Brooklyn with an 8-Mile feel, where artists can feel comfortable being artists,” says AD about her choice of venues.

The showcase was initially organized to provide AD’s N.A.N. crew (Notthing Ass Niggaz) a platform to feature their music in the changing industry environment. Composed of the General and her soldiers Gifted, DJ Spins and West Coast artist Yung Giddy they live by the belief that achieving greatness is “nothing” as long as one is determined, hard working and persistent. With cuts like hood anthem “This for the Hood” and the strip club booty-shaking “Going out of Style,” the N.A.N. movement is far from a gimmick.

“I remember going up to Kanye West’s label and sitting with his A&R listening to N.A.N. music and him asking, ‘If we put your album out tomorrow, how many people in the tri-state are going to go out and buy your album?’ That's when it hit home. The industry was changing and artists had to create their own buzz now,” says AD, reflecting on the origins of Elegant Hoodness.

After three years in New York’s showcase circuit, N.A.N.’s leading lady is still building her brand. The General has established media outlets – N.A.N. TV and N.A.N. Radio – to give performing emcees media exposure via the Internet. Additionally, Rap Fanatic Magazine decided to sponsor the Elegant Hoodness Showcase less than a year ago. She continues to network with media entities to add to the showcase’s growing list of prizes.

AD is confidant that the next group of Beasts from the East are artists like Sha Stimuli, Big Fella and T-Eazy, all of which have been untapped at Elegant Hoodness. La hefa (boss) is looking to bring Elegant Hoodness back out to the West Coast as well as down South and the Midwest. With success usually come complacency, but AD’s fire isn’t going to extinguish any time soon. The rejections from haters keeps her hungry for more.

“I love to thank the non-believers who really made it difficult for AD and the Notthing Ass Niggaz. I wouldn’t get that angry feeling in my gut that makes me feel that I need to work harder,” say AD da General.