The longest running weekly Open Mic in New York, End Of The Weak (EOW), has opened another Hip-Hop Open Mic branch in Brazil. EOW was established in 2000 by Big Zoo, Vice Verses, ProPayne, Nonezeo and James Bong.

Like any other Open Mic, it started as a spot for local talent to perform in front of a crowd and earn respect. EOW already have branches in New York, Paris, London, Spain, Berlin and Brazil will be their new investment.

"We started in New York really as a place that we could have a venue to rock out and do our thing and showcase our talent and it just grew and grew and grew in New York," Big Zoo, one of End of the Weak's founders told press. "Then we kept hearing stories about going overseas and how the love overseas for Hip-Hop was just phenomenal. There was nothing like it in the United States and that we really needed to go over there because we create a nice buzz and have a good following. Sure enough we found all of that to be really true. We found that overseas there's a lot less separation of the different genre's of Hip-Hop."

EOW wont stop their though, they are already planning on opening branches in Amsterdam, Ghana and Kenya. As well as the Open Mic's internationally, EOW also has expanded its business with their promotion company, recording studio and record company.

"Everything we ever needed to get done we kind of just started a company to do it ourselves," said. "We needed to promote our selves and we needed flyers, we started a promotion company. Then we got tired of paying everybody else to go to their studios, we started our own studio and charged people to come to our studio. The open mic has been the place for us to hone our own talent and to then see new talent and help them develop."

In the summer, EOW plan to celebrate their 7th Anniversary in August.

"We are believers in progressive Hip-Hop, forward thinking Hip-Hop, and we support that all across the United States and all across the globe," Big Zoo continued. "It has really helped us shape our company using that foundation. We don't frown on any form of Hip-Hop, but we are personally not too much into the 'selling crack, shake ya ass Hip-Hop.' We make conscious, progressive music. I've been using the word progressive. I've been digging that word a lot."

More information on End of the Weak can be found at www.endoftheweak.com.

Credits: Stuart Hallick