We don't just sell clothes. We're part of the culture. We don't just sell clothes. The open mics are held about once a month and anyone who rhymes is welcome to get on the mic, Thigpen said.
DJs also come in to mix and play music while the rappers or poets are reciting their works.
Open mic is an essential element about what hip-hop is. Dave Dub, a member of the San Jose-based rap group Subcontents, sees the bigger picture of what the store is trying to do. He describes the open-mics at Elements Boutique as a training ground for future MCs. In addition to the open mics, Thigpen and Newsome have supported local shows and even threw two of their own shows. Elements put on one show in late '99 that was held in a section of a friend's home improvement center in San Jose.