561. 954. 305. Consequently, the tri-county area all share the number “5”. 555, the angel number for spiritual guidance and learning. You know what else celebrates the number 5? Hip-hop. Five decades of America’s revolution through ‘beats, rhymes, & life’. In which, has showcased a pivotal history here in South Florida. From 90s Zulu Nation meetings in freshly birthed Wynwood to Tekashi 69 getting his ass beat at your local West Palm Crunch Fitness, there’s a special place in hip-hops heart which South Florida is held. Myself, a 28 year old Italian-American born and raised here in West Palm Beach, can be the advocate for that. I’m here, along with my partner, to preserve South Florida’s music/culture essence while documenting the next five decades to come through our project, Thought Cactus.
South Florida has seen its growth musically not only through hip-hop, but several other genres alike. Miami delivered us its Drum n Bass love child - booty bass. Subsequently, it settled itself in the present day Miami in the form of jungle, breaks, and UKG. Aside from the ever evolving eclectic Miami scene, South Florida has been a staple in deep house culture. Winter Music Conference has made its mark here every March - its edition of Funkbox NYC (founded by legendary Tony Touch and Voodoo Ray, RIP), at the now closed Electric Pickle was my first 21 legal Miami experience. As the sound and culture evolved throughout the last several decades, hip-hop has been the only one to age like fine wine. Artist’s are still painting in Wynwood, breaking/bboy is still alive and well and OGs such as De La Sol’s Maseo, and Tribe’s Jarobi White have made South Florida home. The spirit of Miami/South Florida hip-hop has only matured over time.
My partner Cal and I co-founded Thought Cactus last year in 2022 with the joint perception to do more with our shared love of music. Cal, an audio production graduate, and myself, a freestyle dancer turned vinyl dj, realized our musical strengths provided a perfect balance to execute our like-minded ideas into one collective. Early on, we discovered our mutual appreciation for vinyl records, and throughout the next year, dove deep in the culture for digging. I was mentored early on that iron sharpens iron, and let me tell you, the healthy competition of outdoing the other when it comes to music on vinyl is a rewarding one. For Thought Cactus, we will always keep its foundation as our appreciation for music pressed on vinyl, while exploring production services/resources, curating events, and affirming ourselves as South Florida’s underground musical historians.
