Blackfest: Making History
Being a photographer you become an artist that captures: events, happenings, things that will never ever be able to be repeated. We have a shot at photographing history in the making or make history with one shot. A few months ago I was contacted by one of the people who was in charge of spearheading this even called “Blackfest.” I was booked and yet little did I know until I would get there that it would be such a monumental event in the history of Stanford University. Here I was expecting to shoot this couple hundred people event, which was actually a few thousand-person arrays of epic proportions! These are some of the reasons why I got into photography to be in the now, to be able to experience events that were happening around me to be able to put my artistic spin on how I perceived them and to document and present my perspective in a way that most likely few others experienced. To say the least Blackfest was a spectacle and a landmark for what may be to come in the near future of this event to be a tremendous happening!
I pulled up and parked after a good hour drive to get to Stanford University. I’d have to say for a school that I never ended up attending I sure do spend a good amount of time over there. As I get out of my car the smell of catfish and snapper was already getting fried, as the gentle breeze of funnel cakes began to subtly overpower the fried fish. Booths were getting set up all over the place it was at least over twenty of them. From different kinds of food booths, to clothing, jewelry, fraternities, sororities, quite a variety of black culture was there to represent. There on stage were a few artists that started warming up before the performances were beginning. When I first took a look at the field I didn’t know who was going to be there or how many, since besides the booths it was nearly empty. A little while later the first acts started up the party and it seemed like every single time I took my eyes of the performance to look behind me there were hundreds more people who just kept showing up!
I can’t possibly remember everyone that was there nor could I remember all of the artists and performances that were there but it was definitely what some people would say some classy ratchet out there! EarthGang, Travis Porter, and Big Sean were some of the biggest names in hip-hop that have ever performed in Stanford. EarthGang rocked the mic with their dynamic duo that was very reminiscent of a young outkast. Travis Porter swept the stage with their performance and popular club hits “Make It Rain” and “Bring It Back” which clearly had everyone going berserk! Normally their performance was enough to leave a crowd happy but Big Sean stepped on stage and tore it up! Travis Porter came back on stage with Big Sean to perform “Dem Girls” together, which had everyone screaming. Big Sean continued with his performance giving praise to his grandma and mom saying thank you for all those who have been for him and sincerely wanting us all to recognize this for our parents as well. As Big Sean finished up his set he hoped to meet the fans and personally thank all those who have been following him but was whisked off to do an interview. There was so much emotion from that event; people lingered around for a while just to soak in what just made history in Stanford’s campus.
As I caught up to Big Sean and sat in on the interview it was one of the most eye opening things I was able to witness from that day. There sat a humbled man, soaking in probably one of his largest performances yet, where he completely killed it, and yet there was just a coy smile as he sat back in the chair to break down his performance and rise to stardom. He genuinely wanted to see his fans and thanks those who have supported him. He spoke about the influence of his mother and how she encouraged him to pursue his dream, and his grandma who was always looking out for him and even gave him the money she saved up for him to go to college where he spent it instead on recording songs that he believed in. just sitting back you could see as he reflected how much he truly appreciated everything that fell into its place for him to rise to where he is. It’s people like these that I become fans of, because it’s not the money and fame that got to him, he still handled himself earnestly, yet the appreciation and recognition of how he got there always staying true to his roots.
