In honor of the 13th anniversary of Notorious B.I.G.’s death, check out this flashback footage filmed at the Roxy in Atlanta waaaayyyy back in 1994. Biggie was in town at the time to perform with Craig Mack during Freaknik 1994. The two hit the stage for a historic performance on the stage at Piedmont Park. [CLICK HERE for that classic footage]

The rapper sat down with The 411 Knowledge & Entertainment Show which was hosted by a young Ryan Cameron (V-103 DJ) and shared the inspiration behind several of his classic hits. I still can’t get over Ryan’s mini-fro and that vest…

Check out the video below:

Video ~ Ryan Cameron Interviews Biggie

Spotted @ RashaEnt

I pulled this oldie but goodie from the archives cause I’m not sittin in front of a computer all day today. I’m headed out for some R&R and may catch me a “call a cab” over at Wet Willies.

In the meantime, check out what Killer Mike… now known as Mike Bigga recalls about old school Atlanta (originally posted March 13, 2009):

I caught up with Killer Mike to capture his Old School Atlanta Memory on tape a few weeks ago. I was expecting the same ole same ole, a’la tales of Freaknik and/or Greenbriar Mall but what I got was Mike’s XXX memories of The Foxy Lady strip club and funny tales of Piedmont Park. It gets no better than this!

Funny how all this time has passed and Killer Mike is still thinking about sex all day… Dontcha just love those A-Town men

A.D.I.D.A.S. ~ Killer Mike ft. Big Boi & Sleepy Brown

Related:

Killer Mike’s Underground Atlanta
Flashback Friday ~ “The Whole World” ~ Outkast ft. Killer Mike
Killer Mike Announces Name Change
Big Boi Reminisces About Charles Disco (Video) + SpottieOttieDopalicious

While most of you transplants never experienced the joys of Freaknik, I’m sure you’ve heard us ATLiens reminisce over the event quite often. Most of us have fond memories of the small lil picnic that started near the campus of the AU center, while there are those of you who based your decision to move to the “A” on the joys you experienced of the massive “Freak-fest” that the small lil picnic evolved into.

There’s been a lot of talk about the return of Freaknik in 2010 after news outlets discovered a website promoting the event. The site says that the event is planed to return to Atlanta this April, but there’s no permit application and city officials don’t expect the event to happen.

The Official Atlanta Freaknic Site says the event will be held April 16-18 in Washington Park but it also said that last year and the year before.

A businessman named J.K. Jones says he’s behind the site that’s touting Freaknik 2010 in Atlanta and told 11Alive News he wants to revive the upbeat revelry of the festivals that went away a decade ago minus the unruly crowds and criminal conduct that ultimately drove it out of town.

Jones hopes to get corporate sponsorship for the event but without the city’s support he may have a hard time.  Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was recently asked about the event and states that fact or fiction, the city will not support it:

I don’t believe it will materialize and it’s not my intention for the city to be supportive of it.

We have too many challenges in the public safety space to deploy those kinds of resources around a program or an event that is not well run or well managed.

To create a festival over the Internet is something I’m not comfortable in doing when I have a police force that is extraordinarily stretched.

I personally think that Freaknik was a historic event that should be left in the past. There’s no way that it can be what it once was. Especially after the craziness it turned into.  I dunno.  What do you guys think?

To FREAK or not to FREAK? That is the question…

For those of you who have been wishing to relive the days of Atlanta’s legendary FREAKNIK, you can now rest a lil easier. Word on the street is that Lil Wayne & T-Pain are planning to revive the festivities.Don’t fret, the traffic won’t get outta hand this time. The two rappers have teamed up with Adult Swim to create a cartoon based on the event. The cartoon, entitled Freaknik” will also feature David Banner, as they all attempt to illustrate the former Atlanta party scene from which it takes its name.

“Basically it was a Black Spring Break that went down in Atlanta and got shut down back in ‘98 or ‘99. So the show is going to resurrect that, and it’s going to be starring T-Pain and Lil’ Wayne and all these other artists like David and some other dudes,” said Adult Swim creative director Jake Escobedo.

“It’s all drawn, and T-Pain plays the ghost of spring break, the Spirit of Freaknik. He brings this party back to Atlanta and the artists have done all this music for it, and it’s amazing.”

Wayne will appear in the animated music video for the program “Ghetto Commandments” as Jesus Christ.

“Freaknik “airs on Comedy Central’s Adult Swim March 1.

In honor of that brief yet time-honored tradition known as Freaknik, April is officially O.S.A.M. Freakin’ “A” Month. What would April be without a really good ‘nic and ‘nik (pronounced neek) and an even better freak (or 2 or 3) in Atlanta? Daytona Beach eternally has “Where The Boys Are” wailed by Connie Francis; we got “This Is How We Do It!” by “A”Transplant Montell Jordan.

A quasi-militant friend banned me from using the word picnic eons ago. I’m sure we’ve all gotten the chain emails regarding its supposed etymology. Waaaaayyyyy back in the day in The A, lynch mobs would pic(k) a N(asir Jones word) to strang up, and then bring a ten piece and a gingham sheet for the fam to sit on and watch this freakout. That is now why we Educated Black Folk (EBF) in The A have cookouts. Has nothing to do with that 8 million dollar grill at ya bwoy’s house up in GuilforFar-rest subdivision or the tin drum perpetually parked at the I-20 Snapfinger exit on which folk will cook out in the middle of “A” Snow Jam. But Freaknik started as a ‘nic back in the day in The A when Milifriend was still collecting La Tigre shirts, not revolutionary trivia. Back then, he ‘nik and ‘nic-eded his “A” off.

Freaknik itself isn’t actually an Atlanta thing. It was started in the 80’s by some Atlanta University Center (AUC) EBF’s from the Washington, D.C. Metro area as their last little school year blowout before finals and farewells. Now, let’s all think about this. Picture a Sasha Obama type from Spelman College going to a cookout with her boyfriend and sorors. Some hibachis, a boombox, B&J wine coolers (yuk!), a couple of nice cars and bermuda shorts were all that was in the offing. A hundred people at best might show up. That WAS the first Freaknik.

I remember being in my dorm (elsewhere) and getting a purply mimeographed flyer announcing the ‘8tee-nunna-yo-business event at John A. White Park, located deep in the heart of the intown SWATS. I didn’t go because I didn’t know the folk and questioned whether or not we’d know anybody from The A up in there. That lasted one year. My how things quickly changed when dealing with (pic/freak)Nic’ers.

You wanna hear something real funny? Ask a 30up “A”Townie how to pronounce this event.

**Sidebar – Remember in School Daze when the world was first introduced to Samuel L. Jackson? He was the guy cursing out the college students for infringing on his neighborhood and territory and hoped they would burn in EBF hey-yell. He was playing an “A”Townie…

Funny part about it, in real life, the Morehouse grad was probably one of them college Fellas he was hey-yell’in up. See how art……..And now back to our show.**

You’ll probably get something a little more approximate to yeek! from “A”Townies. Freetnik! Got it? Nik (pronounced neek). Rhymes with yeek!. Then ask them what yeek! means and get out of the way as you might get punched when they double up on the two step, bring it back, and start flappin’ them alternating flat palms, taking it behind the back, pumping them arms and fists in the air all while doing the side to side. Watch any ATL two-steppin’ video and holla Yeek! whenever the hip pops. Fits e’erytime.

Right around the time that MC Shy D began flipping cartoon theme songs on 12’ platters like pancakes, Freaknik started turning into the Attack of the 50-11 Folk Folk. Washington Park? We won’t go there, although many natives told me that was their favorite one when I mentioned I was writing this column. Blackburn Park out in our DC (Dekalb County) didn’t know folk were even coming their way, poor thangs. You remember that scene in “I Am Legend” where the streets get clogged with zombies, just a slappin’ up against car windows and whatnot? Welcome to Atlanta at its ‘nikiest (I said ‘nikiest, not Nickiest). After a while, they just started closing down expressway exits. Unless it’s a matter of national security, have you ever heard of an American city stationing barricades and police at multiple interchanges so no one can get in? Not out, like an evacuation, but in? You have now. Close Encounters of the “A” Kind. Yeek!

A many years after we all forgot mimeograph machines ever existed, I watched out of the window with my co-workers at the full-out bacchanal that The Little Cookout That Would had become. The kicker? Being located in such a primetime traffic spot (the corner of Auburn & Courtland) folk just decided to pawk, gawk and **expletive deleted** at da liberry. My favorite was the trailer ’bout big as a tour bus that pulled into our loading dock chillin’ like we were a KOA campground. How ’bout that for your Fulton County tax dollars at work?

At that point, Freaknik, to me, became such an unbelievable part of ‘Lanta histree that it had to die. I mean, my lawd, Tia, Tamera and Tootie’s lil sister ended up in the mix on a primetime sitcom episode. **I’m saying in my Neffie voice** Are you serious? But I hear, just like Jason and that Friday the 13th thang I talked about a few months ago (and rap music according to M.C. Shy D), some things will never die. Stay tuned.

Here’s the link to a Freaknic/nik resurrection website. This is not an endorsement by SFTA or myself, just an observation, so don’t call us if you choose Visa for a road trip and the only thing going on when you get here is that $10.00, old-school Reflections jam sponsored by The(m) Natives on North Ave. our staff is hittin’ up and a boot on your used Hummer with the dealer plates that will be “sent back” to said dealer next month. See, we seasoned natives still have some fun ’round these parts reflecting on those glory days, the Benzs and the Beemers, but we’ve always done it with a little less traffic and debauchery. Heeding the call of our fearless Commander In Chief, we also do it much more economically now, in Hondas and hybrids. And anyway, if you readin’ this column, ain’t YOU too old for Freaknik?

While I maintain fond (and other) memories of the annual freak-a-deek, in my old age, I’m starting to subscribe to the wisdom espoused by that lilter of the lyrics known as Killer Mike:

“I ain’t talkin’ ’bout Freaknik ’cause I ain’t no tourist!”

That don’t mean it ain’t a whole lot of other freaky stuff that happened ’round here to discuss, ‘dough. Stay tuned.

And that’s what Freaknik really was…………Back In The Day In The A.

**O.S.A.M. is a weekly feature on StraightFromTheA.com.  We will be turning back the clock each Friday to reminisce about Old School ATL. Hit us up at StraightFromTheA@gmail.com to share your favorite Old School Atlanta Memory. **

Oh Hell Naw! Spotted at an Atlanta area elementary school ~ a kid wearing a “Freaknik 95” t-shirt. I have no words…um, yes I do… to the Parents: you are DEAD WRONG for letting your kid wear your dirt on his back! I mean…Freaknik 95 was the joint but Man-Man wasn’t even a twitch in his Dad’s crotch yet! (Link)

I couldn’t let this day go by without acknowledging Lil Man Man who wore his Freaknic 95 shirt to class last year. Y’all still wrong for that…

This is for all you “big case G’s” who were “lower case G’s” back then. In honor of Freaknik…. In honor of Freakin “A” Month… and just because I wanna… I pulled up Montel Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It” ~ The unofficial/official theme song for Freaknik 95…or was it 96? Hell. All I can’t remember and all y’all was drunk anyway so does it really matter? 

Happy Flashback Friday…. Enjoy!

Related:

When Freaknik was GOOD (Video)

Flix/Video ~ Freaknik Revisited

(click here if you can’t see video)

I was thinking about giving Freaknik it’s own category since I feel the need to revisit it every few months but his time the AJC beat me to it.  Our favorite Atlanta newspaper featured a this video today of comedian Corwinn Oglesby talking about the goodtimes we had riding up and down Peachtree Street bucked naked.  Y’all know y’all need a flashback today, so while you’re sitting in your cubicle feel free to reminisce about the old days when you drove a VW Golf and got all girls…OR when you and your friends hung out of the side of a Jeep Wrangler softop sitting on them thangs…OR that time when you were stuck in Freaknik traffic and had to go to the bathroom so you had to walk into the Ritz wearing booty shorts… I must stop now before I start naming names.

Related Posts:

Pic of the Day ~ Freaknik Returns (Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop) 

Freaknik Revisited