XXL‘s SXSW Diary, Day 2: It’s Show Time!

After having so much fun at Molotov on Monday night, I expected the South By experience to kick into full gear Tuesday. Interactive folks were no longer in town and people traveling for the Music Festival were now starting to trickle in. Our main focus on Tuesday was to prep for the kick off show to our Freshmen Live series at the Transmission Warehouse. Again, things got off to a slow start. —Carl Chery (@cchery)

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 1:00 p.m.
I head to the elevator to meet Adam and Vanessa and bump into Havoc of Mobb Deep on my floor. I realize that our rooms are only a few doors apart.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 2 p.m.
After grabbing some food, Vanessa, Adam and I connect with Harris Publications publisher Dennis Page. We head to the Austin Convention Center to grab DP and Adam’s SXSW badges.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 2:30 p.m.
We drop off DP and Adam at the ACC.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 2:35 p.m.
Vanessa drops me off at the W Hotel to pick up my bag.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 3:00 p.m.
We arrive at the Transmission Warehouse and begin to set up banners for the makeshift backstage area where Freshmen and industry insiders got to chop it up with folks from Monster Energy, Soul By Ludacris headphones and Reebok.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 5:00 p.m.
After we finally finish settings things up, we head to a nearby Mexican restaurant to grab some food.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 5:45 p.m.
As we’re walking back to the venue, we’re happy to see that a line is already forming outside of the Transmission Warehouse. DP goes to one of the kids standing line and asks him who he’s here to see. “Kendrick Lamar,” the boy replies.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8:00 p.m.
Doors open. It’s showtime.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8:07 p.m.
DJ Skee arrives and chops it up with Adam for a bit. We snap a photo of him and the lovely lady who handled the door—her name escapes me—can’t help but sneak into the flick.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8:21 p.m.
The homie Courtney Lowery from Epic Records arrives at Transmission Warehouse. Adam and I discuss the night’s show and Future, who has yet to set foot in the venue.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8:25 p.m.
I head backstage and bump into DJ Alamo of Brand Nubian fame, who setting up shop for Ludacris’s Soul By Ludacris headphones.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8: 28 p.m.
We bump into Dustin Ray from Monster Energy backstage.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 8:30 p.m.
I ask for the bathrooms and I’m informed that I’ll have to use the porta potties outside. Yikes!

READ MORE OF XXL'S SXSW DIARY ON THE NEXT PAGE

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 9:15 p.m.
Don Trip and Hopsin arrive 5 minutes away from each other. We catch up with Don first and later let Hop see the 2012 Freshman issue for the first time.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 10:30 p.m.
Don takes the stage and performs joints from his recently released Guerilla, before closing his set with the introspective, “Letter to My Son.”

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 10: 40 p.m.
We find out that Kendrick’s fight got cancelled. Calls are quickly put into Mobb Deep who agree to fill in for the performance.

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 11:00 p.m.
Hopsin hits the stage. The West Coast rapper brings a lot of energy during renditions of "Pans in the Kitchen," "Baby Daddy" and “Sag My Pants.”

Tuesday March 13, 2012… 11:30 p.m.
It’s Danny Brown’s turn. The Detroit lyricist gets a great response from the crowd as he spits songs like, “Blunt After Blunt,” “Die Like a Rock Star” and "Adderal Admiral.”

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 12:00 a.m.
Future’s in the building. The Atlanta rapper changes the complexion of the show and turns the Warehouse into a club as he performs hits like, “Magic,” “At the Same Damn Time” and “Tony Montana.”

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 12:35 a.m.
We catch up with Future after his performance and conduct a brief interview by his truck. He then chops it up with Danni and Alicia from Reebok for a few minutes.

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 12:47 a.m.
I bump into Skyzoo and chop it up with him for a few minutes.

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 12:55 a.m.
Mobb Deep and their entourage arrive at the Transmission Warehouse. Here, Havoc is backstage reading XXL minutes before his performance.

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 1:00 a.m.
Mobb Deep takes the stage. The go through some of their classics including “Shook Ones Pt. 2” and “Quiet Storm” to the crowd’s surprise.

Wednesday March 13, 2012… 1:40 a.m.
The show’s over and a few random folks tell me they enjoyed the concert. Adam and I connect with Nick Huff from Hard Knock TV and D-Ray from Monster to get some food before calling it a night. Shouts to Monster Energy, Soul By Ludacris and Reebok for sponsoring the tour.

[Read XXL's SXSW Diary, Day 1 Here]

Stay tuned to see what XXL‘s editors were up to on Day Three of their SXSW journey.