OffBeat: Where They Started
Before they take on the famous arenas, the sold-out stadiums, and the annual music festivals, every artist has to start somewhere small. Whether it’s a coffee shop or a local bar, an artist’s first show will always hold importance. Where it takes place holds even more importance. This is where they reached their audience. The place where their name was passed around, wondering if they were going to play again.Where their very own lyrics spoke directly to an unsuspecting audience member.
In Jackson, Mississippi at the heart of the Fondren Art District, OffBeat is a quaint comic book/record store, tucked away in a village of warehouses, tea shops, and art studios. While it primarily functions as a store, it can also transform into the perfect venue for poetry slams and live shows for Jackson’s newest R&B and hip-hop artist. Due to the fact that OffBeat is Black-owned in an area that is predominantly white, it serves as a safe haven for the local Black music and spoken word lovers.
I sat down over Zoom with Phillip Rollins, founder and owner of OffBeat, to talk about how Offbeat got its start, its significance to the community, and why it’s the number one spot in the area for upcoming artists.
How did OffBeat get its start?
I was a part of the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute. I was a part of this group of people where we were supposed to be the next future leaders of Mississippi. In the class, there were doctors, lawyers, councilmen, and then there was me who was a DJ that worked at the ACLU as a youth justice organizer.
At the end of the institute, we had to come up with a project that affects the community. Naturally, everyone was like “well I’m going to run for office, or open up a practice.” I was like I don’t want to do any of that shit. So, I came up with OffBeat. Which was something that was in the back of my head cause everybody who knows me was like “well you should open up a comic bookstore. You know about comics” or “you should open a record store cause you know about music” and I was like nah that stuffs not going to work by itself here in Jackson. So I came up with Offbeat, which is an alternative culture store that sells comics, records, and designer toys. And we run as a – the most community aspect is- is an art gallery for young minority artists specifically in Mississippi. And that was because I went to coffee shops, and like the hipster part of town and I was like we’re in a city that’s eighty percent Black and none of these artists on the walls of these coffee shops or galleries are Black. This makes no sense to me, so I wanted to make sure our people are getting the opportunity to earn money, spread their artwork, and be seen properly.
What do you think attracts new Black artists to OffBeat?
I guess… I don’t know honestly. I really think – I know a lot of people call me. They want to perform here. Either it’s because of the vibe or it’s cause it’s small. It’s more intimate. When I do let artists perform here I try to make sure that they give a good quality performance cause I don’t just let anybody perform here. I don’t want them to perform over vocals. I want you to perform with your voice. Like, have the proper track and everything like that. I guess it’s just a good starting ground for a lot of artists here.
We didn’t have – we don’t have a lot of hip-hop venues. Well, let me rephrase that. We don’t have any hip-hop venues here, so this is like the closest thing to one. So a lot of people, you know like I said they gravitate towards here. Cause a lot of places won’t book hip-hop acts here because it’s an insurance liability or whatever.
When there are this community of people that are gravitating to your shop to perform, and share their art, how does that make you feel?
It’s kind of weird. I’m just trying to give them the opportunity that I had. Before this place, there was a place called Seven Studios that I got my start at DJing, and it was like a block over from where OffBeat is. And I just want to- I kind of see how- I don’t know how to explain it. I can see the opportunity that they can possibly grow and kind of have that experience of like “oh I performed here” and “this is an establishment’ and blah blah blah. So I mean I feel kind of good about that. I hope that whoever performs here, that can take their talents on further. I don’t look for any kind of recognition or stuff like that. I just want people to be able to showcase their stuff and, as professionally as possible, and if they ask me for constructive criticism I’ll be happy to give it as long as they can take it and not cry about it.
What type of crowd hangs around your Venue?
It just depends on the act. When we were doing Friday nights – uh Friday night lives – we would have – I was trying to work with the bookers for that cause they were doing stuff at another place and it didn’t work out, so they wanted to do stuff here. And I said “the only way we can do stuff here is if we diversify the crowd. Let’s have the crowd as diverse as possible. I say if we’re gonna have a singer-songwriter act let’s have an upcoming R&B act. Let’s have a Hip-Hop act with this rock band. Let’s mix up people and get people more involved. Cause if you go to just – I’ve been to so many shows. I’ve been to so many rock shows. I’ve been to so many hip-hop shows. And you see the same people, and it gets kind of stagnant. Especially – and then the artist doesn’t really get to grow. They only get to grow their fanbase. And people listen to different genres of music – contrary to popular belief. So I was like let’s get some exposure going for both sides of the coin here. So like a two-act night, I was like we’ll have like teenagers to people in their forties come out. Black, white, or whatever. But if it’s an all
hip-hop night, it’s going to be mostly all Black people. Depends on who’s performing. If it’s a rock night, it’s going to be mostly all white people, maybe a sprinkle of Black people in there, but it just is what it is. You know trying to break negative stereotypes in Mississippi is always a challenge, and I’m always up for it.
What do you think is the importance of your venue being open to Black artists to perform? Do you think that there are a lot of venues that are more open to Black artists, or do you think that you’re just like a part of the few that are?
Nah – I mean – it just depends on which artist you – like what art form that they’re doing or whatever. I mean there’s me. I think SoulWire cafe is still around. I haven’t been keeping up with anybody else as far as venue-wise. I know some people perform at MBar. Some people perform at other places. But you got The Murals as well too. I know they do shows there. But there – I mean – Jackson is a city that is in desperate need of a mid-size venue. Kind of like a House of Blues like small room. And I’m just kind of like, feeling in a gap until somebody decides “that hey I’m gonna open up this mid-size venue in Jackson that’s needed.” You got places like Martin’s and Hal and Mal’s. And those places are cool it just depends on – like I said it depends on the crowd wise. And I’m just doing what I can on my end, and not trying to step on anyone’s toes. I’m a store and gallery first, and then a venue like way second, maybe fourth, or third. It’s just something – like you know we consider them like in-store performances to like get people in here.
What do you think is the importance of Offbeat to its community? Do you think it holds importance?
Some days I don’t know. I joke around a lot saying I’m gonna close this place. Y’all don’t know what it takes to like to keep this place open. We’re in the midst of a pandemic so we haven’t had a show here since the beginning of March, maybe the end of February. I put an end to all shows. I said “hey this show’s the last show. Cancel everything until further notice.” And it was some artists that we had lined up, that it was going to be their first time performing at OffBeat, and it just wasn’t. So I know they were hurt behind that. But you know for the safety of the community, I had to make that decision. And I know people really want to see this place thrive and grow, and you know, blah blah blah pillar of the community bullshit that I hear all the time about offbeat. But you know- I just- this is a place that reminds me of everything I wanted when I walked into a record store or walked into a comic shop. I didn’t want to feel stereotyped or ostracized when I go into those places, and it’s happened to me before.
And I know a lot of people feel very comfortable when they come here. A lot of people use this as an escape from the rest of whatever is happening in Jackson or Mississippi uh- cause it can be stressful and depressing at times living here. And so this is like the closest thing you can get
to like “I’m in Jackson but I’m not in Jackson.” Like I have people that come from out of town and be like “oh I didn’t think a place like this existed in Jackson” or I always get “If you were in Atlanta or LA this place would be – there would be people here every day.” And I’m just like “yeah but I’m here.” It’s easier to do stuff like that in other places, and if I were to close up shop and move it to a bigger city like that, I would consider this a failure. The fact that I’m open – I’ve been open for six years now, and – you know – it’s a testament. I almost didn’t make it during the second or third year, but everybody really supported it and people supported it during the pandemic, with finding what little they could to keep the doors open and spreading the word about the website. So offbeat has kind of gone viral and global for a minute.
You said that a lot of people use OffBeat as an escape. Do you consider it to be a safe haven of some sort?
I would hope it would be like a safe haven, or people would feel like it’s a safe haven. I know a lot of people would come to me, and want to tell me certain things. I tell them sometimes “you know I don’t have a degree in psychology. Like I can only tell you from my own life experiences and recommend you music and comics to like calm you down, or whatever.” So I can – I mean I would consider it a safe haven. I don’t want anybody to come to OffBeat and be like “oh I was treated so bad” or “this bad incident happened.” As corny as it sounds, I don’t want anything but good vibes and shit to come out of here. And things that make you happy or whatever, or meet new people that you wouldn’t have ever met like anywhere else. That may share a common interest in music or whatever. And that’s the kind of thing that we’re missing right now. Well, I’m missing it. The interaction between people. And so I started a Facebook group called the OffBeat record club, so everybody in the group is talking about records and music and stuff. I’m gonna do one for the comics, and maybe for the toys and you know just kind of keep people engaged and involved. Cause everybody is like getting cabin fever from quarantining.
How do you think Covid has affected OffBeat, with the shelter in place?
It’s good and bad, which is the weirdest thing to say. It’s bad because we can’t do in-store performances anymore. We can’t have large groups of people, so record store day is dead. Well, they split into like three separate smaller days. And then free comic book day was canceled, so that stuff has happened but it forced me to adapt and to actually get that website up and going. We got featured in some other stuff and blogs or whatever. And people spread the word about “oh it’s a Black-owned comic store, it’s a Black-owned record store here in Jackson, Mississippi.” And people were supporting from all over the country. And still supporting. Like I’m still doing mail-out orders. Some people are like “ I couldn’t find this record anywhere else, and you have it on your website” so it’s good to hear stuff like that.
For a time I was thinking nobody’s gonna give this store attention because I’m in Mississippi. Whenever I see Black comic book stores it was always about, I think there’s one in Philadelphia, Amalgam Comics. The owner of that – she’s always getting stuff online and everybody keeps sending it to me and I’m like “what am I supposed to do. I’m in a small market. They’re not gonna highlight me.” Like I said before, I’m just happy I’m still able to be operative during this time. People are still supporting, and I’m just trying to keep it going so when this is over maybe we can like have a big party or something.
Would you say that the community is sort of your marketing team?
Yeah, they are. I used to have a street team, and it was a group of young adults, young kids, whatever and they would just come help out at the shop when we have events, or they’ll help like – everybody had their own skillset. My friend he’s really into photography, so I was like “Hey can you take product shoots?” We do product shoots when I get new shirts, or I get new stuff I need for the website. I can always call on him to help out. We had an old friend, he’s really into filmmaking, so he would document record store day for me, and help me get a video up and everything so we’re gonna use it for next year. I had other people help me with actual marketing plans that have a degree in them. They’re like “hey I’m here to help out.”
There are people that I confide in. The community of people that I would confide in are like, when I put out a shirt and I’m like “hey is this cool? I’m just testing this out.” and they’re like “hey I want to order that right now.” So now I got to make shirts or jerseys.
What is the future for OffBeat? Do you plan on expanding, or are you staying in Jackson?
Everybody always asks me if I’m going to expand, or franchise and I don’t have any plans too. I got offered to help out to do something at Atlanta, and I pretty much turned it down. The people that were involved, didn’t have everything together, and I had a very bad feeling about it. Plus that market is very saturated with stores. Nothing is like OffBeat, but it’s the stuff that’s similar because when I started Offbeat, there was nothing I could go off of when I made the business plan. I was like well these things are all together, but I haven’t been in a store like this, and the only thing close to it, as far as a chain would go would be like Hot-topic or Books – A- Million or Barnes & Noble but you know what their focuses are. So I plan to stay in Jackson. I don’t know if I’m going to stay in this location. I don’t know how much longer I would stay in this location. I would like to possibly move, but then that may not happen. I may end up being here for the long run. But, yeah, OffBeat is a Jackson-based company that will be in one location. Until further notice, I would say.
To support Offbeat, visit their website at offbeatjxn.com and follow their instagram @offbeatjxn.