The highlight of a musical artist’s career isn’t their first performance, their last or when the crowd cheers for them. Being recognized and honored for their work and craft for the first time is what most artists strive for. For many local hip-hop artists, that place is the hip-hop award show held annually in September at the Rialto Theatre.
The Tucson Hip-Hop Awards Show has categories for more than 25 different awards ranging from “Artist of the Year” to “Best Photographer.” The festivities aren’t limited to just awards; they also include live performances from artists and local organizations.
According to Wiley Online Library, hip-hop is a genre of music that arose in the 1970s with a root in African American culture. It’s usually high rhythmic music that’s led by the drums accompanied by rapping. It’s also used to describe the entire subculture of youth itself.
Jahmar Anthony is the founder, three-time host and coordinator of the awards show. He said that he is a very strong believer that local talent must be recognized. When asked why he started the award show, he said, “For years I went to different award shows but they just didn’t have that much Tucson representation. I wanted to highlight local artists.”
In February, Tucsonans can make submissions to write-in polls held for the different categories. Depending on how many votes each nominee receives, there might be anywhere between three to 10 nominees for a particular award. Anthony said his favorite is “DJ of the Year,” as he is one himself.
Winners are given a certificate signed by Mayor Regina Romero, with a statement thanking them for their contribution to the community and their cup-style trophy.
One winner of this year’s award show was Aaron Tacker, whose stage name is Stacc Styles. He had just signed with major indie label Suburban Noize Records in Los Angeles. He said that while he left Tucson in 2021, the memories of the city never left him. He won the “Lifetime Achievement Award” for the longest time devoted to helping the hip-hop scene in Tucson. He said he has put effort into helping the community for so long that he performed with Ice Cube for his 2008 Raw Footage Tour in Tempe as an opener.
The award meant a lot to him, Tacker said. In comparison to other genres, hip- hop doesn’t have as much of a recognition for artists, especially at a local level.
“I’m very proud of it. It means a lot to me because there aren’t a lot of awards in this industry,” Tacker said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be recognized by such a great group of people. So much talent comes from this city.”
While it’s an honor to win an award, it’s also an honor to be performing during the night in front of a crowded audience, said Daniel Bernal, who performed with his music group between nominations.
Bernal, also known as DeeØne, is part of a group called Street Mob Military. With seven members, the band takes inspiration from many different sub-genres while still retaining a traditional hip-hop sound. Bernal said he got his start in a basement after being inspired by another group called Three 6 Mafia.
For any artist, the best part of the show is seeing the crowd react to their music, and Bernal is no stranger to this. “Just trying to get the crowd involved, seeing everyone’s energy is what I love the most,” Bernal said. “Tucson is a great place. It doesn’t get enough credit and that’s why I like performing here so much.”
