THIS IS YOUR FREESTYLE BLAST #4
In this April issue of the FSB, I bring you behind the scenes of one of Freestyle's greatest tours, give a few birthday shout outs, and talk with a Queen... So let's go!
Hey what’s up Freestyle Blastards, and welcome to another issue of the Freestyle Blast Newsletter. Remember, if you haven’t had a chance to check out any of our past blast issues, well now you can, and seeing that we’re only four issues deep, this is a great time to catch up!
The Freestyle Blast Newsletter wasn’t created for just the Freestyle fans, nor for just our artists and other industry personnel, it was created for the community as a whole, and all who have supported the genre in some way over the years.
Whether through buying music or merch, attending events or at the very least, engaging in the many Freestyle discussions hosted on Social Media, this Is Your Freestyle Blast and I thank you so much for subscribing!
It was Saturday, March 26th 2022, and after a pretty long hiatus, thanks mostly to the pandemic, we were back on the road and heading out to Miami’s Watsco Arena for Pacific Concert Group’s Freestyle Explosion Throwback Jam, and as always, it lived up to its name.
Entering the hotels for these events is always a special time because it’s when we run into all of our Freestyle friends. Within just a few minutes of entering the hotel, we’re greeted by some of Freestyle’s most legendary artists, starting of course with our girl Lil’ Suzy, who didn’t even give us a chance to get inside, a highlight for me and Angel, and any of you who are familiar with our history, understand why.
In the lobby the greetings continued, this time with Cover Girl Margo, Lisa Lisa, TKA’s K7 and Aby Cruz, Gioia from Expose, Lisette Melendez, and a few of Stevie B’s band members, some of the greatest guys you’ll ever meet!
Up to our rooms to freshen up, then off to the venue for soundcheck, and for those of you unaware of what that is, well, it’s when we go to make sure everything is working properly for our show.
Soundcheck is quick and everything is working fine, and so off to the cafeteria for a light dinner and then to the dressing room to start getting ready.
I personally have been working with ladies all of my career, from Lil’ Suzy to Angel OCG, S.A.L., and The Cover Girls, that getting kicked out of the dressing room so they can change is quite normal for me!
And so it’s showtime and thousands of fans have entered the building, echoing a ferocious roar throughout the tunnels.
The show opened up with performances by Connie, Lisette Melendez, and Jaya who hasn’t performed a Freestyle concert in years… she was great by the way and I hope to see her some more.
Up next is Lil’ Suzy, looking as incredible as ever, and though she’s being her regular calm self before a show, I can pretty much bet that after such a long break, those butterflies were flapping hard.
But performing since the age of just 5 years old, not only is Lil’ Suzy our youngest legend, she’s one of the most seasoned artists, so much so that she probably doesn’t even remember when her career didn’t exist.
Suzy couldn’t have asked for a better welcoming than the one she received upon stepping back onto the stage and of course, picking it up as if she had never taken a break, and my hairs stood on ends as I watched and listened as the crowd sang along to every word.
She ended her set with a few heartfelt words for her fans, then turned and exited the stage, leaving behind a trail of applauds, whistles and a whole bunch of I love you Lil’ Suzy’s!
Up next are The Cover Girls, Angel, Margo, and Michelle Valentine, making this Michelle’s second show since her return back in December of 2021.
With their dazzling white and silver outfits, these three ladies shined like the stars they are. Not a song is sung that the crowd doesn’t know every word, and their nostalgic dance steps do their intended job of bringing you back… way back!
Cover Girl hit after hit they perform, now including Wishing On A Star, by our very own, Michelle Valentine.
The acts that followed were Tag Team, The 69 Boyz, TKA, Expose, Lisa Lisa and of course Stevie B! An incredible lineup for sure and a little something for everyone.
Back to the hotel we go, and while the girls go up to their rooms to change and freshen up, I grabbed us a table at the back of the hotel lobby and ordered a couple of Pizza’s and a few dozen wings… our typical after-show ritual.
Popping with food, drinks, and some great laughs and conversation, our table is always the place to be.
Lisette Melendez and her husband Rob joined us, and it was great to catch up on some good ol’ times, from our days as S.A.L. and even further back to Lil’ Suzy’s wedding where we all shared a table as well as some great memories!
You see folks, these are the times that I wanna savor, the times that I dread will one day transcend into just a memory. But when that time finally comes, I want to at least be able to sit back in my rocker and reminisce about these wonderful times, people, and the incredible career that God had blessed me with.
With that said, shout out to Mr. Alan Beck, RJ and Natalie Duran, as well as the rest of the Pacific Concert Group family for building such a wonderful platform for us to come together and not only do what we love, but to be able to share it with fans everywhere!
And speaking of fans, please, continue to support PCG and all of their incredible events throughout the country… in fact, here’s the link to their website… make sure you go on and see what they have headed your way, and I hope to see you at the next Freestyle Explosion!
Check out this video clip, courtesy of Kharma Productions
My Mom was a pretty avid cruiser, and for years tried to get me on board, but sadly, I never got the chance. Then when I got married, I decided to surprise my new bride with a short honeymoon cruise through the Caribbean to see if it would be something we would enjoy, and ahoy… We were hooked!
Cruising has now become our all-time favorite vacation, and we’ve made several since, and though I never got the opportunity to take one with Mom, as I stand on deck, staring out in awe of the absolute magnificence of this magical wonder of the world, I swear, I can hear my mother say to me … I told you you’ll love it!
Is it because now that I’m older, I kind of enjoy the luxury of going somewhere without actually moving? To be able to just sit and read, eat an unending buffet, then burn it off with some Electric slide?
Well, there are a few of these Freestyle Cruises that go out every year, and I wanted so bad to talk to all of their organizers, but unfortunately, a few of them didn’t have time to speak, well, to be honest… none did!
Except one, and her name is Priscilla Ortiz, aka Laboricua. Born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx and now living in beautiful West Palm Beach, Florida I don’t know if I could think of a better candidate than this young lady right here.
LATIF: Hey Priscilla, how are you?
PRISCILLA: I’m great Latif, how about you?
LATIF: I’m great especially now that I got you to do this interview… by the way, why did you agree?
PRISCILLA: Well, what kind of promoter would I be if I didn’t take every opportunity to tell people about my wonderful cruises?
LATIF: Could there have been a more perfect answer than that?
PRISCILLA: (laughs)
LATIF: So you call your cruise The Freestyle Cruise! Straight to the point, huh?
PRISCILLA: Oh yeah, I love my Freestyle, and my Freestyle people.
LATIF: But I also noticed, you have other kinds of artists on there as well.
PRISCILLA: I love my reggaeton too, (giggles) and when I realized that so many of the Freestyle fans are also Reggaeton fans, I was thrilled.
LATIF: It also makes your cruises a bit different.
PRISCILLA: It does, and that’s what everybody loves about them!
LATIF: So I see this year it’s going to be on the Carnival Magic?
PRISCILLA: Yes, how perfect is that?
LATIF: Why you say that?
PRISCILLA: Cause my cruises are magical of course! (we both laugh)
LATIF: So it leaves out of Port Canaveral in Orlando, Florida, and sails for how many days?
PRISCILLA: It’s a 7-day cruise, leaving on Sunday, February 5th, and returning Saturday the 11th.
LATIF: That’s a pretty long trip,
PRISCILLA: Trust me, it’s never long enough.
LATIF: And where does it go?
PRISCILLA: Well, this year we’re making three stops, first stop is at Half Moon Cay, then to Grand Turk, and then Amber Cove before heading back.
LATIF: So have you ever been to those Ports?
PRISCILLA: Oh, most definitely, in fact, I’ve been to all of the ports Carnival goes to.
LATIF: Really? Does that help you at all when putting these cruises together?
PRISCILLA: Oh absolutely! You see I want the cruises to be a new and exciting experience for my guest, but the only way I can ensure that is if I know already what that experience is like. I need to be familiar with the ship, the ports, and what to expect once we dock.
LATIF: So, what is it about these Freestyle cruises that make them so great?
PRISCILLA: The guests of course! I have to say, Freestyle and Reggaeton fans are some of the nicest and most loving people you’ll ever meet, and if you want to have fun, they do it best!
LATIF: About your guests, do you find yourself attracting a lot of repeat cruisers, or are they mostly new ones?
PRISCILLA: A lot of repeat cruisers for sure. What happened was, they come on once, love it so much that as soon as the next one goes on sale, they’re in.
LATIF: I’ve seen on other cruises where they do like an 80’s night, do you do anything like that?
PRISCILLA: Those are theme parties and yes, I do all kinds, like my all too famous Neon Pool Party!
LATIF: Neon Poll Party, Hmmm, give me a second I’m trying to visualize it.
PRISCILLA: (laughs) It’s so much fun! We also do an Adidas night, a Puma night, a White party… I mean, I’ve done so many, and oh my god, the guests love them! I try and come up with something new for every cruise.
LATIF: So what about this next cruise, what kind of theme do you have planned?
PRISCILLA: You know if I tell you, I’ll have to kill you, right?
LATIF: Okay, so… next question! (laughs) Priscilla, as the promoter/organizer, What do you find to be the hardest part of putting one of these cruises together?
PRISCILLA: You know, I’ve done so many of these cruises, that I pretty much got it down to a science. However, it’s saying goodbye! I get so sad at the end.
LATIF: I could understand that.
PRISCILLA: Yeah, if you think about it, you’ve been practically living with these people for the past seven days. Doing everything together, and now you have to say goodbye. I get emotional every time.
LATIF: Who are some of the artists that you’ve had perform on your cruises?
PRISCILLA: Oh, I’ve had so many…
LATIF: Just a few names,
PRISCILLA: Okay, um… Coro, Brenda K Starr, Johnny O, Lisette Melendez, those are a few of the Freestyle artists, and as for Reggaeton, I’ve had Sir Speedy, Las Guanabana, Don Chezina and of course Nicky Jam.
LATIF: Those are some great artists, Priscilla!
PRISCILLA: And great people, they’re so much fun.
LATIF: So is there anyone that you’ve been wanting to get on your cruise, but haven’t yet?
PRISCILLA: Yes, Lil’ Suzy and The Cover Girls… Latif!
LATIF: Okay okay, we’ll talk about it! (laughs)
LATIF: Here’s a random question, just out of curiosity… what’s your favorite Cruise Drink, Priscilla?
PRISCILLA: Oh God, of course, it has to be a Piña Colada… and I make sure there’s one in my hand the moment I get up on deck.
LATIF: Oooh, I love those.
PRISCILLA: You do? (laughs)
LATIF: Why you laughing?
PRISCILLA: I’m sorry, I don’t know too many guys who drink that!
LATIF: Yeah, my wife makes fun of my drink choices all the time.
PRISCILLA: (still laughing)
LATIF: So, doing as many cruises as you have, what have you noticed are some of the things your guests like to do the most?
PRISCILLA: That’s a good question, um let me think for a second. Well, my repeat cruisers are more chill, so they usually like to sit at the bar, or kick back and just relax, whereas my new cruisers, well, they don’t want to sit around at all, they want to do everything! They do all the dances, participate in contests, and off the ship, they like to do the tours and excursions, and I understand this, even before they step foot on board, and so I’m ready to accommodate them, I want them to have a great time.
LATIF: Priscilla, if I’m one of your guests, and I want to go meet the artists, what should I do, or where should I be?
PRISCILLA: I’ve been really blessed with the artists I’ve chosen because they’re all so cool and very social with the guest. I mean, I’ll see them at the bar having a drink together, in the club dancing, eating at the buffet, or even just hanging out in or around the pool area, so all I could say is, go and enjoy the cruise, you’ll meet everyone by the time it’s over.
LATIF: So let’s go over this once again for those who didn’t catch it the first time, your next cruise boards February 5th, 2023, correct?
PRISCILLA: Yes, we board Sunday, February 5th from Port Canaveral in Orlando, until Saturday, February 11th, and can I say what artists we have so far?
LATIF: Yes, please!
PRISCILLA: Okay, so we have Nyasia, Fascination, Fulanito, Raul Acosta and Oro Solido, Shannon, Lisette Melendez, Jayquan from The Nasty Boyz, and Sir Speedy.
LATIF: Wow, that’s an incredible lineup, and so If someone wants to book a cabin, or at least get some more information, what should they do?
PRISCILLA: Well the fastest way of course would be to call me at the number on the flyer’
LATIF: Give us that number again, Priscilla.
PRISCILLA: Sure, it’s 561-707-0218… I’ll answer all your questions, so that when you’re ready you’ll have all the info you need, or if you are ready to book it now, we can do that too!
LATIF: Any other ways?
PRISCILLA: Yup, you can also Text Me at that same number, email me at Laboricuawpb@aol.com or DM me through Instagram @freestyle_cruise
LATIF: Wait, so you handle all the bookings yourself?
PRISCILLA: Absolutely! This isn’t just a Freestyle Cruise, for many of my guests it’s the only vacation they’re taking for the year, so I want to make sure that everything is perfect.
LATIF: Okay, so before we go, is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers to help convince them to come aboard your next Freestyle Cruise?
PRISCILLA: Yes, a lot of you might have questions that you’re scared to ask for whatever reason, but please don’t! The way I look at it is you’re not just investing money in a vacation, you’re investing your time, and trusting me with that time means a lot, so please ask me anything you like, I’ll be here to answer!
LATIF: Okay folks, you heard her, get in touch with Priscilla right away, ask her whatever it is you need to ask and get yourself up on that ship! That was an incredible interview, Priscilla, and on behalf of the entire Freestyle community, I wanna say thank you… thank you for including Freestyle on your cruises, and after talking to you, there is no doubt in my mind that you are indeed, Freestyle’s Queen Of The Sea!
PRISCILLA: Thank you, Latif!
LATIF: And until next time, folks… Bon voyage!
Angie Vollaro from Sequel / Gary Sipich / Cyre Rodriguez / Stefanie Bennett /
Joey Bang Restivo / Juan Kato / George Sweet G Godfrey / Stevie B
Happy Birthday, Family. Wishing you the World and all that it has to give!
*Do you know an artist or other Freestyle personnel who has a Birthday coming up?
Let us know and we’ll mention them in an upcoming issue of The Freestyle Blast Newsletter.
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