What would make a person want to perform hip hop karaoke?

Fortune Sound Club’s monthly Hip-Hop Karaoke night sells itself as the best time you can have on a Monday night anywhere in Vancouver. DJ Flipout hosts with a mix of soccer-coach positivity and sharp banter, and DJ Seko plays booming instrumentals on a full sound system. The crowd is loud and focused on the performers, and enjoys dancing, waving hands in the air, and yelling. The stage has been blessed with “rappin’ ass rappers” (Flipout’s term for professional rappers) such as Jaykin, Kyprios, and the Rascalz paying tribute to the songs that inspired them to pick up the mic. But it’s equally welcoming to amateurs, shy girls who bust out eerily accurate Li’l Wayne or Nicki Minaj impressions or nerdy dudes transforming themselves into gangsta rap superstars.

Yet there’s still an intimidation factor. Unlike regular karaoke nights, Hip-Hop Karaoke has no tinned canny instrumentals. There’s no video screen showing incongruous men in suits running on a beach at sunset. Most importantly, there are no lyrics with a bouncing ball for performers to read. Performers need to memorize rap songs (which tend to have a lot of words, spoken fast) well enough to spit fire in front of hundreds of people. The crowd is patient with mistakes, but screwing up can still be pretty embarrassing. I asked four regular performers why they loved Hip-Hop Karaoke.

Diana Theodora Christou

SM: How did you first hear about hip hop karaoke?

DTC: I saw a poster on a telephone pole and felt like the sky opened up and my destiny was calling to me!

SM: What was your favorite song that you performed?

DTC: Das EFX – They want EFX. It’s a really fun and tricky song, and I love how they rap.

SM: What about by another performer?

DTC: That’s a hard question, there’s been so many. But there was an Asian girl doing (sings) Whatta Man Whatta Man whatta mighty mighty good man!

SM: How often do you practice a song before going on stage?

DTC: I usually listen to it every day for the two weeks before Hip-Hop Karaoke. I play it over and over again on the way to work.

SM: What do you love about performing here?

DTC: It’s a big release, and it makes me feel good about myself.

SM: Do you do any other live performing?

DTC: No, but even when I was four I loved to dance around and entertain my family. This is a great way to express that side of myself.

Lawrence Lua

SM: What was your favorite song that you performed?

LL: Breathe by Fabulous, because it’s the one I screwed up the least!

SM: How did you get into Hip-Hop Karaoke?

LL: I came here for a few shows and then started to rap. I love rap and I love performing, it’s fucking cool! Before doing it, I wondered how it would be, to go through the stage fright and the whole experience.

SM: How long do you practice for?

LL: A week or so. I usually cram the night before.

SM: What do you love about performing here?

LL: The people. The vibe.

Next Friday: Part 2, interviews with two more veterans and a preview of the Feb 13th show!
For more on Hip-Hop Karaoke, visit their Facebook Page.