Could we have picked a better time?

Who remembers when the Winter Music Conference was all Freestyle? When you walked around the pool side of the then Fontaine Bleau Hotel and met up with the entire Freestyle community. From artist new and old, producers, writers, promoters, agents, labels, radio stations and DJs, it was a very exciting time. We tried this year to possibly bring Freestyle back to the WMC but we were just a bit late, so we will have to sit this one out.

We contacted the people who run the WMC and told them our idea, and even though their conference has been very successful without Freestyle, they did consider it and even offered us to join some of the already established panels. We had to decline for now, because the Awards were going to take up a lot of time and energy. next year the chances for us to re-start a Freestyle Panel looks really good. People who are not directly involved in the market really don't have a clue as to how much we have accomplished over the last few years, but that's cool, we have to just keep going, soon they will see.

We couldn't have picked a better time to hold our Freestyle Music Awards, and of course we couldn't have picked a better location. Who doesn't like to be in Florida? This year the WMC is expecting over 4,000 attendees from all over the world. Does anyone understand what that could do for the market? Freestyle is known throughout the world, from Japan to Germany, the UK to South America. The problem is, we have been out of sight, and therefore, out of mind.
In the last couple of years we have seen so many acts return to the scene. Concerts have been held all over the country and the fans are reawakening to a music that they thought was long gone.

To all those involved in Freestyle, from artist to fans, friends and foes, it very important that you make it a point to attend this important and historical event. The doors are open to everyone. it's time for all of us to wake up and for some of us to grow up and do what needs to be done for this market.

There is going to come a time when all Freestyle will be to us are a bunch of stories that we will tell out grandchildren. Let's not have any regrets, this will probably be one of the last chances we will have to do something positive for this market. We aren't getting any younger and the past has hurt many of us pretty bad. We have already obligated ourselves to this event for three years and hope to continue for many years after.

March 26th 2008 at the Miami-Dade Auditorium, come check out the Freestyle Music Awards, we'll be looking for you!

Get Your Tickets Now!!!

With ticket prices at just $35.00... You better hurry!




They said we were crazy, but actually keeping the price as reasonable as we can is probably one of the best ideas for this event. The Freestyle market didn't make it to where it's at just because of the artist. The fans had a lot to do with it, a whole lot, and to show our appreciation, we are keeping the price of these tickets very very low.

The front rows of course will be reserved for V.I.P., but if you get there early enough there is a chance that you might end up sitting behind your favorite Freestyle artist, producer or exec.

If this event is something you'll like to attend, my advise to you would be, "Get your tickets as soon as you read this", then book your hotel, then your flight if you are flying. Hey the worst case is, you can't make it, you'll be out of a measly $35.00

Click the "TicketMaster" logo above and secure your seat for this historical night in Miami.

Orchestra Miami goes Freestyle!

When was the last time you heard your favorite Freestyle songs composed, conducted and performed by a professional orchestra? Well when Freestyle Awards Producer Latif Mercado thought of putting together the first ever Freestyle Music Awards, he knew it had to be more than just different, it had to be spectacular. It had to represent Freestyle in a light unheard and unseen of ever before. After careful thought, Latif had an idea that he was sure would set this event apart from every other, and with the financial backing of Executive Producer Lily Bolden of Bolden Corporation and Miami's Power Promoter Ovidio Santiago, famous for his popular Miami concerts, Latif knew that his vision could easily become a reality.

When he contacted Lily and Ovidio about his idea, Lily simply said, "I'll call you back in a minute". An hour later she calls back and says, "Okay baby, we have the Miami Symphony Orchestra"!

The Award

Original Trophy Design Sketch 1
We wanted a trophy that would represent Freestyle today. A typical stock trophy wouldn't do. We wanted to show the Freestyle Market that we cared enough about it to have something personally designed.
The La' logo might seem a bit bias, but it represents an organization that has been working endlessly to revitalize the Freestyle market.

Original Trophy Design Sketch 2
Coming up with a design, even one as simple as this took a lot of thought. Big shout out to our manufacturing designer Ardy. We wanted something that would give us the most quality for our money with plenty of room for up-grade. This design seemed to work. To those just looking at it for the first time, might not see the bigger picture, but the plan here is for this same exact trophy to be up-graded each and every year. We have already come up with 10 impressive up-grades that will have people desiring to win it at every awards ceremony.
From add-on images, twisted metals and technology that allows us to burn - color the steel, be prepared to see this simple award gradually transform into a beautiful art piece that will sit proudly in the homes of many of your favorite Freestyle Artist. Producers, etc...

Original Trophy 2008 Version
Simply beautiful. Polished stainless steel with a solid wooden base. The plate that will have the recipient's name engraved on it will be placed around the base, and all awards will come with it's own storage box available after the event.