The perfect brunch combo, according to Original Grain, includes avocado toast with a side of music from The Notorious B.I.G. or with a performance from a different hip-hop artist. Every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Original Grain hosts Hip Hop Brunch.

Chris Bily, owner of Original Grain, said the event is upbeat and high-energy, featuring live DJ performances and new menu items. The event has been around since the establishment of Original Grain in August 2016.

Bily said he believes that Hip Hop Brunch perfectly embodies the brand of his restaurant, while also elevating the customer experience.

“I think music is an important part of our culture as a whole,” Bily said. “To be able to come in and audibly hear something and feel a groove and a vibe and get energy from it, I think that that plays into our decor and our menu … I mean, it’s just part of our brand.”

When looking for DJs to perform at Hip Hop Brunch, there isn’t necessarily a specific box that Bily is looking to check off.

“We’re looking for as many artists as we have that are interested,” he said. “We really don’t segregate them into specific type of person we’re looking for. We’re searching for somebody that we’ve seen or people that are reaching out and saying, ‘Hey, listen, I’ve heard about Hip Hop Brunch. How can I DJ?’”

DJ Kobe, a club DJ and radio host for HOT 107.9, is a staple performer at Original Grain’s Hip Hop Brunch. He said he has friends in “bigger cities” doing similar things, and he’s happy Original Grain brought it to Syracuse.

When it comes to his set, DJ Kobe said his goal is to have customers sing along with the songs he plays.

“People walk in and start bobbing their head when they hear the music,” DJ Kobe said. “It’s a great feeling.”

While Hip Hop Brunch strives for an original take on the classic weekend brunch tradition, its main purpose is to create an energy that will leave the customers wanting more. Bily, who also owns the newly-opened restaurant XO Taco near downtown Syracuse, is looking to implement events similar to Hip Hop Brunch at his other businesses.

“I don’t know about hip-hop specifically,” he said. “It’s more of a different sort of music genre. (XO Taco) is sort of California psychedelic punk rock vibe, so, we’re definitely looking to get into brunch later on, like, late winter into early spring.”

Tim Tschernjawski, kitchen manager at Original Grain, said his favorite part about Hip Hop Brunch is seeing the reaction and enjoyment of first-timers from the moment they walk in the door to the second they leave.

“The people who show up here know what they’re coming to get,” Tschernjawski said. “But also those who have not been here, that’s also nice to see.”

When it comes to the perfect brunch, Bily said all it takes are good vibes, good energy, good food and cool people.

“All those things combined leads to a really good time,” he said. “If we can achieve all those things, then Hip Hop Brunch is going to be fun.”

Published on October 1, 2018 at 2:04 am