As Hostile Takeover 2012 reaches a halfway point, let’s take a look back to where it all started, in Kansas City, and tell the tale of one fan who made the journey to witness the jump off to the best touring show in hip hop.

A woman from a small town with big goals, Cassie Mari Isza took her opportunity to get out of Elkhart, Indiana and took a trip to Kansas City, Missouri to witness the jump off of Hostile Takeover 2012 as soon as it came about.

Currently bottled up in a job that she describes as “just a paycheck”, Cassie files invoices and uses her iPod and the music in it to prevent herself from self-inflicted harm.

“If I didn’t have Tech, Brotha Lynch Hung, Krizz, and Kutt in my iPod, I’d probably stab myself in the eye with a pencil. It gives me the ability to feel something during the day, even if it is madness, sad, sexy or dangerous.”

After scoring two tickets and getting a friend to tag along, Cassie took the long road to the beginning of an even longer one: Hostile Takeover 2012, the longest tour in the history of hip hop.

We interviewed Cassie to get her thoughts on the experience, one that she says she would do again “in a heartbeat.”

What possessed you to drive all the way to Kansas City to see Hostile Takeover 2012?

Okay, first off, Tech is my absolute favorite rapper, so that was motivation enough, but to see him in his domain and it being the jump off to his 2012 tour was the main reason. Plus I’ve always wanted to visit KC, MO–Killa City.

Who did you go with?

I went with a good friend of mine Christopher. He loves Tech and met him in Chicago and when he heard I was going he had to go. Plus, I gotta get mine y’know (laughs).

What was your favorite part of the show?

I think the best part of the show is when Tech performed “It’s Alive”. I think it was the 2nd song on the set list. It got the whole fucking place pumped. People got out of their seats and just went crazy with themselves.

What was your favorite part of the KC experience outside of the concert?

Ok this is the best question you could of asked me. So we get there like thirty minutes before checking in to our hotel, The Hilton on Baltimore, and I look at Chris and say “Lets go check this shit out.” We valet the car and we walk to 12 Baltimore Cafe and Grill. We have a few drinks and proceed to walk back to the hotel. On the way back I run into Strange Music Inc. himself Travis O’Guin. I got to introduce myself to him and tell him how much I respect and appreciate him and what he’s done. I told him that I’ve watched from the outside looking in how he and Tech have built Strange Music Inc from the ground up, that he’s beautiful and that I love his business sense. I didn’t want to be a crazy, obsessed fan so I let him get back to whatever he was doing and walked away. Oh my God, highlight of the trip for sure. I got to kick it with Prozak and Big Scoob for awhile. Scooby is the best! I met Makzilla, JL BHood and DJ Kitty as well. Good people. Oh and I can’t forget Stevie Stone, I chopped it up with him too.

Would you do it again?

In a fucking heartbeat. I would of changed one thing though: I would of made it a point to get a mixed plate from fucking Gates Bar-BQ! I didn’t have time.

If you could say anything to the artists what would you say?

Oh my God, that they are beautiful people as individuals. The main thing I would let all of them know is that I appreciate all of them taking the time away from their families and personal lives to entertain me! That honestly means so much to me that they would give up all that for their fans, and for that I’m grateful to the extreme.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS AND VIP PACKAGES TO HOSTILE TAKEOVER 2012.