Women Making History: Traci P of Sisterz of the Underground & On Blazt!
To help the Bay Area female collective, Sisterz of the Underground, celebrate their 8 year anniversary, today we are honoring two of the members as Women Making History. Now, although we’re only featuring two of the ladies, we’d like to congratulate all of SOTU for their contribution to the Bay Area music and dance scene—and beyond! First up, we have Traci P who does event coordination, promotions and booking with her own company On Blazt! and creative management and booking for SOTU. Get familiar… Most people have no clue what the “P” in “Traci P” stands for, it’s a secret well kept. However it’s likely that many equate it with “party”,“promoter” or even “Patron” which all work.
Traci P, born a Scorpio in her hometown of Houston, TX in 1983 is now a recognized and thriving promoter in the San Francisco Bay Area. Having produced events with a myriad of artists including MC Lyte, Funkdoobiest, Roc Raida, Sabac Red, Pam the Funkstress, Concious Daughters, the Visionaries, Medusa, Cunninlynguists and many many more T.P. has worked hard to establish a respected name for herself and has recently developed her own promotional company called On Blazt!. The girl described by her peers as nothing less than a go-getter driven to succeed, moved to the Bay Area about 7 years ago.
Although she grew up in Houston, her entire family is from the bay and, having been in and out of the area her whole life, she knew eventually she’d end up there. She was also guided by her love for the music industry and the excitement of the Bay Areas underground Hip Hop music scene. After years of working under various independent record labels, meeting some amazing and some not so amazing people, Traci P now focuses on her company and her commitment to heading an all-female Hip Hop artist collective called the Sisterz of the Underground which this year will be celebrating 8 years of bringing together strong females.
Traci P is nothing less than a go-getter driven to succeed!
Traci P handles the M.I.S.S. Survey!
M.I.S.S.: What woman, besides your mom or grandmother, do you find inspirational?
It’s very easy for people to pick celebrities to idolize and aspire after, but for me, I find the most inspiration from woman I surround myself with and whom many I have had the chance to work with over the years. My involvement in the Sisterz of the Underground, and all female Hip Hop collective of artists, has afforded me many opportunities to work alongside powerful women both in the music industry and outside of it. I genuinely look up to my “mentor” so to speak and founder of SOTU, Sarah Smalls as a little mini-mougle. I have much respect for the women behind M.I.S.S., Britney over at YBR Promotions, Crykit, Lady Fingaz, the list goes on. I admire any female that puts herself out there and can accomplish tasks most see as impossible. Innovators, aggressors, creative minds.
M.I.S.S.: How did you get your start?
I have always loved music and involved myself with it. At a very young age I told myself I’d get involved with the music side of the entertainment industry somehow. When I was 16 I was hired at the oldest record store in Houston,TX and was one of the youngest people ever to work there. That job gave me an amazing insiders perspective as to how the business side of the music industry worked. I got involved with throwing live music events at the store and also linked up with Sony setting up instore displays for artists. That was my first taste of promotional work. From there I took it upon myself to create street team opportunities for myself. Aside from Sony, I linked with Insomniac Magazine and became the Houston Representative when I was only 17. Soon after I left for college at UC Davis where I took a more active role in promoting the underground Hip Hop scene by working at the local record store, Cr8’s. One year later, I found out college just wasn’t right for me at that time and I left Davis to make it in SF. This is where I really came into my own. Although I wasn’t in college, I appreciated the value of educating myself through experience. I became known literally as the “Super Intern” and found myself interning simultaneously at a number of underground labels such as Bomb Hip Hop, Look Records, and Live Up Records. I also interned for the Sisterz of the Underground. Through all of these dealings I met an incredible amount of people and really connected with planning and throwing events and for the past 7 years I have focused on doing just that!
M.I.S.S.: What’s a favorite party/event you’ve thrown?
I would have to say that personally my favorite event I have cultivated was a show a few years ago at the Elbo Room: Funkdoobiest, Sabac Red, Motion Man and Unified School District. I LOVE pulling shit out of the blue and bringing back old school people. Especially those involved with the gritty sound of 90’s Hip Hop. Everyone at the show really appreciated the nostalgia and variety in the show that night and had a great time, which is the best a promoter can ask for in my opinion. Well I do have ONE more favorite party, and that’s an event that I did at the Great American Music Hall with a local live funk group called the TopRockerz. This was an amazing night of great music and dancing, it was awesome because it was something different for that venue and truly amazing because if you’ve ever been to GAMH you know it’s one of the best and oldest venues in this city. However this night is one that I will never forget because one of my most idolized musicians was in the house that night, Les Claypool of Primus, enough said.
M.I.S.S.: Who would you want to work with and/or what is your dream line-up for a party?
I think that if I had the opportunity, well actually, if I could make the music industry not the way it is, in other words if everything wasn’t all about money and egos weren’t a factor, I would throw an intimate show that would just be crazy. A small, classy venue, with a nasty show and each artist backed by a full band. In no particular order: Cypress Hill, Ludacris, R. Kelly, and Mix Master Mike hosted by Ghostface Killah with an open bar hosted by Patron. Yeah, that sounds good.
M.I.S.S.: What part of your work process is the most challenging and do you dislike the most?
The most challenging part of being a promoter and working with artists and managers is obviously dealing with people you do not know. It’s business so it can often be tricky getting exactly what you want from people, especially when they’ve been in the industry decades longer than you. However, although it is challenging I in no way dislike it, in fact I look forward too it. I feel so accomplished after playing hardball with a club promoter or manager, it’s great and very rewarding. After all, it’s those experiences that make us stronger and help attain respect.
DJ E Da Boss (Blackalicious/Now Again), Kat O1O (Crown City Rockers) and live artists were all a part of Traci's last party line-up.
Sisterz of the Underground 8 Year Anniversary Party—This Friday!
www.onblazt.com • www.sisterzunderground.com • www.going.com/sotu
