LBezzle, rapper and New Brunswick, New Jersey native, will present Billion Barz Club 5 at Above Art Studios at 55B Morris Street in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Feb. 26 from 7-11 p.m. To date, the showcase will feature performances from New Jersey music artists like hip-hop duo Outliiierz, rappers Ron Solemn, SB, and King Bluez, recording artist Face Cadet, and more. Chef Freddie will provide vegan cuisine, and ten or more food, retail and service vendors will also be in attendance.
Billion Barz Club organizer LBezzle said the fifth installment of Billion Barz Club, the For My Ancestors edition, commemorates Black History Month.
“Definitely got to pay homage to who came before you because without them you we would not be here,” he said. “I feel like a lot of people are tapping into the energies of the ancestors and just cosmic guides and spiritual guides as well.” “So it’s always for the ancestors, especially for this month, for Black History Month,” the self-acclaimed DNA-activating lyricist said.
While Billion Barz Club 5 will articulate pride in one’s people and honor past achievements, it will also mark an enhancement of future productions. “The interactions there are priceless. We are at a new venue, so I want to see how that plays out. We have a stage now,” LBezzle said.
Founded in late October 2020, LBezzle founded Billion Barz Club as a monthly series that, per show, has featured 15 to 24 music artists, each who perform up to four songs per set.
Caldwell, NJ rapper Young Benny, who has performed at Billion Barz Club during its beginning stages, spoke highly of the exposition. “I’ve done showcases where I’ve paid big money to do a song–to do a set. I’ve done showcases … and it was like $200 for 10 minutes,” he said. “Those kind of showcases are really trying to take your money … Billion Barz Club is trying to get you in front of people; they actually care.”
Recording artist and actor Eli Costello, the now regular Billion Barz Club master of ceremonies, keeps the energy alive in between acts. He says he finds fun ways to keep the crowd’s attention by cracking jokes, emulating a notable character, singing a song or issuing a spontaneous rap verse.
“I walked in there, it was positivity, it was energy, it was life affirming.”
Billion Barz Club events are not just music showcases. LBezzle agreed that they’re spiritual experiences. “They’re whole entire feelings, and you have to come to feel it. The performers with the vendors, with the people–they’re all cut from the same cloth. It’s magic, man.” “… When you come there, you can meet somebody and they’re a light language healer, a reiki master, you know, they do tarot or something like that,” he said.
The vendor selection at Billion Barz Club includes massage therapists and independent clothing retailers, such as LBezzle marketing his own merchandise. You can also find vegan food, including vegan empanadas, sea moss, supplements and healing crystals.
Citing his first visit to Billion Barz Club, Eli Costello, popularly known as Eli said, “I walked in there, it was positivity, it was energy, it was life affirming.” “I walked up in there and was like ‘Yo! This is my spot!’ I don’t even talk like that …”
Detailing the health conscious environment, Eli said, “When I went in there, there were holistic vibes … He’s selling CBD which is very … helpful, healthful … It feels good.”
The social and artistic interactions come curated–the design a response to a bit of prejudice. Getting his start in event production by arranging his own rap shows, LBezzle referred to a previous venue owner’s distaste as one of his primary motivations for establishing Billion Barz Club. ” … The owner of the venue says he doesn’t like rap crowds. You know how it goes,” LBezzle said. After convincing the venue owner that LBezzle’s crowd would not be like what the venue owner imagined, and a positive, successful turnout thereafter, LBezzle said, “It just sparked a revolution of doing shows because I wanted to change the dynamic of what the crowd was.”
Billion Barz Club reflects the will of the people, a people committed to art yet constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is your community. You have all the permission right now to expand your universe beyond that little room you’ve been quarantined in for most of the year, ” Eli said.
To “expand your universe” and experience the vibes at Billion Barz Club 5, RSVP here and visit https://www.facebook.com/lbezzlemusic/posts/822814061631746. Admission is $15 at the door and is capped at a 60-member audience. Entry will be permitted on a first-come, first-served basis and attendees are strongly encouraged to wear masks.
