09/02/2022
Get Down Enterprises, Galactic Get Down, and I, Joe Scarpellino, want to make a formal apology to FairPlay Entertainment regarding their experience at GGD2022. First and foremost - the show FPE put on was amazing. The vibes and energy were positive, while also staying real and raw. They were high-on-life, but also realistic and artful. I was impressed with what I heard.
However, I know that I personally dropped the ball with them when it came to communication day-of-performance. My anxiety and depression got the best of me on Saturday. Basically, my bubble burst and I wasnβt truly being as present a host as they deserve. Lt. Sunnie, Brandon Pulphus, Mpls Drew, Tuvok the Word, and Mickey Breeze are some of my favorite artists in the Twin Cities. A few of us have even grown to be very close friends, so bringing them to the Get Down was a no-brainer. However, I DID take for granted the fact that we were bringing in an all-black group of hip-hop artists into a historically and predominantly white space. They were not the only act featuring POC, but even so, I did not do my best to help answer their questions to ease their worries as they entered our space. This is something I have been made aware of, and take full accountability for causing. I intend to be more mindful of this in all ways in the future.
Due to a lack of communication about the schedule adjustments we had to make due to bad weather - they were cut off before the end of their set. To me, things were on time and made sense, and their set was adjusted to keep on track. I also didnβt properly answer and accommodate their needs for selling their merchandise. They felt slighted and unappreciated, and for this I apologize. It was an oversight and lack of communication, not our intention, and we love what FairPlay entertainment does and stands for.
I know that itβs important to hold oneself accountable when the ball is dropped - and I hope that they can be understanding and forgive the confusion I caused by my lack of attentiveness. I would love to work together again. Thank you so much for being a part of GGD2022, you rock