BY: Jamie Reina
Top Secret Miami bolstered a variety of local visual artists and a talented lineup of locals that did not disappoint. Raw. Gritty. Urban. The venue was a far cry from upscale Miami Beach. Yet, the weathered establishment couldn’t have been a better choice for local visual artists, apparel brands and hip – hop artists to gather. The graffiti walls, oil stained concrete, and scattered debris are genuine representations of life across the bridge. The contrast of art showcases, apparel displays and hip – hop performances against this rugged setting only reinforce the versatility of Miami natives. The assembly of these locals by the people of Top Secret Miami generated an electric atmosphere that made for an entertaining night.
Events like Top Secret Miami continue to push the local art and music culture foreword. The crowd in attendance had much to see with the range of showcases. The field of visual artists ranged from veterans acquainted to exhibiting their artwork to the fresh newcomers taking in the experience. The diversity of the artists accompanied with their different inspirations made for an eye catching display. Artists such asJay R. caught the attention of those who admire detail with his realistic portraits of women, while artistNoodle Head caught the attention of those drawn by surrealism with dreamlike pieces generated from personal experiences. One artist who garnered a lot of attention from onlookers was Micheal Jaye. His style of precise line work paired with bold color to portray characters Fred, Wilma, Bamm – Bamm and Pebbles from cartoon series The Flintstones was a definite crowd favorite. For the 90’s kids in attendance, it was a welcoming reminiscent of the past with modern flair.
Aside from the variety of visual artists in attendee, local apparel brands were also present. Cake Militia, a brand founded on female empowerment, had a strong presence with models showcasing its t- shirts. The Ensemble, whose vivid color schemes are influenced by African culture, caught the eyes of people with its dashikis. Finally Stolen Project, a Broward based brand, gained notice with its edgy in your face display of pieces from its collection.
The night really began to take off once local hip – hop artists took the stage upon a flatbed truck. The elevation allowed them to descend upon the crowd along with rocking the trucks suspension. ArtistsKayo was one of the nights early performers but brought the swagger of a late night feature. His performance of ‘Real’ hyped the audience to where some of its members ascended onto the flatbed truck to rally alongside him. Kidd Adamz followed later in the night with the performance of ‘Hold on.’ He was successful in transferring his energy to the hungry crowd which cheered below. Hoodie was up and personal with members in the audience during his performance of ‘M.I.A.’ as he stayed on ground level. His lyricism and wordplay had the crowd viben as he spit versus. Singer Venus Amor was a welcoming contrast tot he hype hip – hop sets performed before her. Her performance of vocal melodies and harmonies from Sakura cast a soothing energy that was hypnotic to those listening.
Overall Top Secret Miami was a success in bringing locals together for a showcasing pf talent in a variety of fields. One can only look forward to what the organizers of Top Secret Miami have planned in the future.
