The Diamond in the Rough
Showcase by : Ele Michele @ eleismichele
The clinking of beer bottles and the smell of age old ale and cheese fries are what greet you at The Crown and Harp , a grungy two-level bar in Lower Greenville , but what allures and keeps you are the sweet melodies being belted out by soul saxophonist Maurice Curtis & his amazing band , The Groovy Tunes . We have gathered here tonight for The Diamonds in the Rough Showcase being brought to us by Cetarracca “ Cicely Rue ” Rockwell and Fela “ BlkDude ” Raymond . Cetarracca Rockwell is the owner of Cicely Rue , LLC , a writer , poet , author , and all around creative . By collaborating with Fela Raymond , photographer extraordinaire and influential DJ , the duo is able to be the medium between the very talent they have witnessed and the jury that is the city . The Diamonds in the Rough Showcase is a monthly event dedicated to highlighting hidden gems in Dallas , TX . Designed to cultivate long lasting relationships between artists and others in the Dallas underground scene , The Diamonds in the Rough Showcase provides a platform for artists to display their talent and build their brand ! With tonight being a special night , the eve of Cicely Rue ’ s birthday , a host of personalities flood the dark woodsy bar in excitement to celebrate and support their fellow comrade . The showcase line up is a diverse one ; ranging from jazz artists to hiphop artists to the Drake-y crooner artists that we love so much . Three dollar wells are working their way into the crowd ’ s bloodstream and it is pumping ! DJ MissBlkAmerikah , nation-wide sound curator , tag teaming with DJ K MOR , Dallas based underground influencer , is a nonstop dance scene as they fill the four walls with a house-hop-chill-wave fusion ! The energy is high as we pack our bodies into ancient Irish style pub booths . Fur coats and sweatshirts mesh together as they vibe out to the serene sounds of Veronica Ratcliff , also known as OGMuse , a vibrant wave of goddess energy sweeping through Dallas . Movers and shakers of the Dallas Underground scene , like talent booker and singer Lily Taylor , can be seen networking with other like minds . After working up an appetite partying with Recc Reggie & the Yung Stonerz , a fresh hip-hop group from Louisiana , everyone fills their bellies with good ole ’ Irish pub grub from the neighboring restaurant , Daddy Jack ’ s . Meanwhile , Fela is in “ Kodak mode ” capturing moments throughout the event making sure not to miss the moment we all serenade Cicely as she flaunts around the stage in birthday valor . Before the night is up , I mingle with some of the acts such as Mecca Tauheedah , a native of Houston , who has taken Dallas by storm . Mic Riley , an artist reminiscent of Dallas , concludes the evening by singing us into the night . We came , we saw , and The Diamonds in the Rough conquered all by shining bright tonight .”