He'd Rap a While for a Camel

Ocean Beach resident Brendan B, a 25-year-old rapper from Chicago, has no record label, no management, and no airplay for the 13-song demo he's been handing out.

"I work at Sunshine Company in Ocean Beach," says Brendan. "When I'm working the door at the bar, I'll check an ID and then I'll give them a CD. Right now, no one knows me and it's hard to sell a CD, so I'm just giving them away, trying to spread the word." Brendan estimates that he has given out a few hundred copies.

"I know a few of the Camel [cigarette] reps," says Brendan. "This kid, Chris -- I call him 'Camel Chris' -- I gave him a copy of my CD, and he told me that [Camel was] doing a show with Mix Master Mike [last Wednesday at On Broadway]. So, they just asked me if I wanted to [perform].

"The place was packed," says Brendan, who shared the stage with DJ Phobik and Apoc. "They gave away 3000 tickets and only allowed 600 people in. I was nervous at first, but once my name was announced I just bum-rushed the stage and rocked the house.... Hopefully one day I'll be the headliner and I'll get paid more than $33 for a show."