Friday night teen show goes the extra mile
Valeri Drach Weidmann
H.P. Mirror staff

It was a family affair in more ways than one at the "Mile Long Showcase" on February 29th. About two hundred teens piled into Highland Park High School with younger brothers and sisters, cousins, parents and grandparents, to hear the Mile Long Boyz debut concert. The concert was sponsored by the Rec Department's Friday Night Teen Center.

Not only were three generations in the audience with clumps of teens leaning in and cheering. Older rappers and entertainers were also on hand to introduce and open for the Mile Long Boyz, three local high school students.

LaQuann Benbow, a 12th grader, and sophomores Ashton Burnell and Altier Haskins have been making music together for about a year. The group has two rappers and a singer -- and high aspirations. Kenny Haskins, Altier's father, is their manager and was on hand to crank up the audience. LaQuann, Ashton and Altier all play football for their high school and Ashton and traveled through Europe for weeks last year as a People for People student ambassador.

"Are you ready for some good entertainment?? borough council member Elsie Foster-Dublin called to the audience. "It's all about the Mile Long Boyz tonight!"

Like many shows, the Mile Long Showcase had an emcee and deejay on stage toasting up the audience while other acts performed. All of the participants performed for free as a community service, according to Ashton Burrell.

Air support from the bigs

The Mile Long Boyz were helped out by professional performers D-Roy-X, a lyricist, entertainer Fo-Onassis, and Young Bo$$, also an entertainer. The three are all from New York and New Jersey. Adult entertainers AJ Q.Rock and TC also appeared on stage emceeing and rapping. DJ Dutch from New York accompanied everyone throughout the two hour performance.

"I describe myself as uplifting old school with a new school twist," said D-Roy-X. "I've been a rapper and producer for four years -- performing in Club Speed and the Energy Lounge locally, in Manhattan." Wearing a jacket filled with writing and bright smears of red and black similar to a race car driver, D-Roy-X led off with a spirited rap: "I'm rockin on the west side and gettin on the road on the north side."

Girls in the audience waved their cell phones in the air getting photos, much as in an earlier era, concertgoers waved cigarette lighters to show their appreciation.

Fo-Onassis jumped into the audience standing on chairs, urging the audience to put their hands up for the deejay as he introduced his first song. "This is for the Ladies, Peace and Love, This is for everybody, Move your Body."

Third up, Young Bo$$, a husky, true master of ceremonies, in a large white satin jacket, gold chains and sunglasses urged the audience into participating in a dance contest. Ten members of the audience from about three years of age to 15 mashed their way to winning a Mile Long shirt.

"You are all shooting stars, stay in school. Go to college like me and then you can go in to the music business," Young Bo$$ said. "Hi mom, you're beautiful, " he waved to his mother, busy taking photos of her son.

Locals the main event

"Make some noise," called Kenny Haskins, introducing the main act. LaQuann, Altier and Ashton all jumped to center stage with their Mile Long shirts proclaiming on their backs, "We Got Next."

The group sang a number of songs including Hot, Hot; Special to Me; and other original numbers for their first public performance. The young performers shouted intricate word plays, sang soft ballads and produced long rhythmic waves of words as they danced on and off stage coming into the audience to interact with the school community, some their own parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

"We've been rehearsing and singing around the school for about a year," Ashton said. "We have big goals. We want to continue to practice and perform so that we can appear at the House of Blues and the Apollo."

This night they had a lot of support on and off the stage. They also gave back to the community, providing a free concert to the Friday Night Teen Center that usually meets at Bartle School. Teens can watch movies, play basketball or just talk.

"The Mile Long Boyz were willing to give up a lot of basketball and other activities to come out and perform tonight for their community," councilwoman Foster-Dublin said after the show. "We're very proud of their accomplishment and also of them."