Jon and I usually find some areas in which Chae could improveâ€”whether it’s his lyrical content or his stage presenceâ€”and we’re not afraid to let Chae know what we think. Along with my childhood friend, Jon Salemi (of Snapcase), I’ve been a bit like a coach who knows when his star athlete is under-performing.

I try not to let my friendship and opinion of him as a person influence my opinion when it comes to his music, videos and performances. It would be reasonable for you to expect my opinion of his talents to be biased, but I’m probably one of his biggest critics. I’ve been following Chae Hawk’s career since 2003, when his stage name was Noble Truth and his hair was in dread locks. His performance Wednesday night at The Waiting Room was the first time I’ve seen him perform where I walked away with nothing but praiseâ€”and that speaks volumes if you know my history with Chae Hawk. Developing his style and honing his skills for over a decade, Chae has matured into a true emceeâ€”captivating his audience and holding their attention from the moment he takes the stage to beyond the end of his performance, inviting fans to join him for a drink.

But, if you haven’t seen Chae Hawk perform in the past few months, you’re missing something special. If you live in the Buffalo area, chances are you’ve seen Chae Hawk perform, and even more likely you’ve seen signs of his presence (his stickers are posted everywhere). Click photo for more photos from the Wild Turkey event.

Traktor vs.serato