On Sunday, The House was shaking — literally.

Booming bass beats shook the hangout, and more than 50 people showed up to participate in and watch Sam-I-Am’s open mic night. The night showcased a large variety of acts, from spoken-word poetry to “America, The Beautiful” being belted out. Some of the performers rapped with the help of lyrics in front of them, while others freestyled to random beats.

-The crowd was just as varied as the talent. A good mixture of older couples and teenagers were scattered at tables throughout The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway. A local artist, Paul Garza, whose works can be found displayed in The House, said the night was “quite entertaining for its genre.”

Hip-hop was represented by a diverse mix of emcees. Sunchild showed a more realistic side of hip-hop life through his well-articulated, spoken-word poetry.

Element Top Notch got the crowd on its feet with a track describing the four corners of Chicago.

Act A Fool also delivered a more serious message about the significance of Black History Month. DeKalb High School student Patrick Jones said the open mic night “adds flava to DeKalb.”

The Groundhogs break-dancers added some spice and excitement to the night. They kept an impressive amount of concentration on their steps while the music grew deafening.

The first NIU talent hip-hop compilation appeared to be a success and a second currently is in the works.