It may have been Philly, but the vibe was all “New York State of Mind” thanks to Jay-Z’s all-star lineup of the most influential acts for this year’s “Made in America” (MIA) festival. The festival took place on Benjamin Franklin Parkway on the 3rd and 4th of September. This year marked the 10th year of the festivals running and it was extraordinary. The Brooklyn rapper enlisted a hip-hop-heavy lineup, including Tyler, the Creator, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, and Bronx-born Pusha T. Although named “Made in America,” the festival featured acts from around the globe, including Nigeria, Sweden, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Colombia and The Dominican Republic.
Fans climbing light post at Made in America, Photo by: Lucas Kurzweil
Named after Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean’s hit record “Made in America,” this festival “sums up the superstars’ feelings about black history, America, Jesus, and revisiting their respective rises to fame.” With their dedication to social action, MIA featured a “Cause Village” giving various charitable organizations a platform for their various causes. With free swag, fun games, and music, Cause Village was a lively part of the festival.
Day-one headliner Tyler The Creator, fresh off his 2021 Grammy-winning album, Call Me If You Get Lost, performed songs new and old. Including fan favorites “WUSYANAME,” “Boredom,” and “Yonkers.” The West coast rapper felt at home on the East, as he exchanged his usual witty, dry humor with the crowd. Before departing, he made sure to state that this was the “last show for this era.” Marking the conclusion of his extravagant Call Me If You Get Lost run.
Tyler, The Creator at Made in America, Photo by: Lucas Kurzweil
Day-two headliner Bad Bunny stopped at MIA amid his World’s Hottest Tour. Bad Bunny’s tour has already visited Yankee Stadium on August 27, where the demand for tickets was so high that they added a second show the next day. During the second Yankee Stadium performance Bad Bunny was presented with the MTV Video Music Award for Artist of the Year.
Bronx-born rapper Pusha T made an appearance this weekend. He recently released an album titled It’s Almost Dry, which featured production almost exclusively from Pharrell and Kanye West. The album also included a feature from festival curator, Jay-Z. Pusha performed many songs from the album, including the scratchy “Diet Coke”, which includes production from West and New York’s own 88-keys. Pusha played hits records throughout his discography, crowd favorites included his verses on “Runaway” and “I Don’t Like.”
Jay-Z called upon Lil Uzi Vert, Jazmine Sullivan, Zah Sosaa, and many others to represent Philadelphia at MIA. Uzi himself has been on a festival run as of late, having performed at Something in the Water, Rolling Loud Miami, and Outside Lands within the past few months. Uzi is also slated to appear in New York later this month at Rolling Loud NY.
Lil Uzi Vert at Made in America, Photo by: Lucas Kurzweil
Full Festival Lineup: Bad Bunny, Tyler, the Creator, Lil Uzi Vert, Jazmine Sullivan, Burna Boy, Snoh Aalegra, Pusha T, Don Toliver, Tate McRae, Fuerza Regida, Toro Y Moi, Larry June, Babyface Ray, Rels B, Victoria Monét, Chimbala, Ryan Castro, Young Nudy, Kenny Mason, Coast Contra, GloRilla, Jeleel!, Jenevieve, Zah Sosaa, Ambré, Armani White, Kur, Kalan Fr.Fr.,Dixson, and Becca Hannah.
24kGoldn headlined at The Great New York State Fair on Friday, September 2. Following performances on Wiz Khalifa and Logic’s Vinyl Verse Tour, the rapper debuted on the Chevy Park stage within the New York Experience Festival Grounds. Under the yellow stage lights, 24kGoldn presented an incredible show to a large interactive audience.
A San Francisco native, 24kGoldn burst into the music industry with the success from the release of his single “Valentino” in January 2019, receiving over 371 million streams on Spotify. His music genre ranges from punk and alternative to pop and rap. Driven by a TikTok viral trend, 24kGoldn’s song with Iann Dior, “Mood,” set music chart records by becoming the first song ever to top four Billboard Music Charts at the same time.
The lights dimmed and 24kGoldn ran on stage full of energy to “Valentino.” Immediately, fans in the crowd jumped out of their seats. He worked each side of the stage equally, especially during the performance of “Coco,” featuring DaBaby where he assigned each side of the audience to chant “Coco” or “Chanel.”
Closing the show, 24kGoldn performed “Mood,” and the crowd sang along. His stage presence is outstanding, with an effortless way of working an audience.
Accessible Festivals officially launched its Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program this week, providing a limited number of free access tickets to recreational experiences like concerts, festivals, and conventions for disabled music fans and their loved ones. This marks a huge step forward towards accessibility for all throughout major events across the U.S.
Pictured: Past recipient Cindy Navarro at Escape Festival
Accessible Festivals is partnering with the largest festivals in the country, such as Austin City Limits Music Festival, BottleRock Napa Valley, Electric Daisy Carnival, Lollapalooza, Rolling Loud NY, Stagecoach and more. The idea was born out of the organization’s founder, Austin Whitney’s own personal experience. In 2007, Whitney was injured in a car accident that severed his spinal cord and paralyzed him from the waist down. He became consumed with depression and anxiety about his new life living with a disability.
Photo credit: Abbey Madrid Stagecoach
After some time, Whitney attended his first music festival, Coachella. For the first time since his injury, he was able to simply enjoy life. With the realization of the importance of festival accessibility, he decided to devote his life to ensuring people of all abilities can have an equal opportunity to experience live music and recreational activities to the fullest extent possible.
Photo credit: TJ Hayes Lollapalooza
Dan Grover was born on December 6, 1962, in rural New Jersey. At an early age, he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic condition that deteriorates muscular strength over time, and began using a wheelchair for mobility at the age of 21.
Dan was responsible for implementing and improving ADA operations at some of the nation’s largest music festivals including Electric Forest, Outside Lands, Life is Beautiful, and many more. He helped ensure thousands of disabled guests were able to see the show safely and comfortably and was a fierce advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility for all.
In an unfortunate turn of events, Dan passed away on July 27, 2022. This program is intended to keep Dan’s legacy alive and honor him by sharing his passion for music and continuing to help other people with disabilities see the show.
In September, 2021 The Fugees and Pras Michel made headlines with a performance at Pier 17. It was their first show as a group in 15 years. With the trio later announcing a world tour of very selective dates and venues. In Fugees fashion, the tour was later canceled to the chagrin of fans. Lauryn Hill broke the news in January of 2022 with a statement.
Although a disappointment, Covid-19 complications seemed reasonable given the major cities the tour was due to hit. The addition of international stops in France, UK, Nigeria, Ghana along with their varied covid regulations made things more arduous. Rather, the Fugees, whoeach have gone through legal troubles, find another one of their own entangled with the law.
Pras Michel’s Legal Troubles Come to Light
This time it seems as if Pras Michel’s legal hardships are what is holding up the much-anticipated reunion tour. In 2019, Michel and Malaysian financier, Low Taek Jho (known as “Jho Low”), were charged in a four-count indictment. The duo were accused of illegally funnelling (money laundering) foreign campaign contributions into the 2012 U.S. presidential election. After pleading not guilty and rejecting a plea deal in 2019, Michel was once again charged by the federal government. In 2021, Michel and Jho Low were accused of running a back-channel campaign to get the Trump administration to drop the investigation and getting a billionaire dissident returned to China.
Pras Michel served as the group’s business mind. Executive producing their hit-album, The Score.
Michel’s primary charges stem from the misuse and money laundering of Malaysia’s 1MDB slush-fund, run by Jho Low. According to the indictment, between June and November 2012, Low directed the transfer of approximately $21,600,000 to Michel. Michel’s role includes the disbursement of the money in $865,000 increments to about 20 different straw donors, whose jobs were to make the donations in their own name, in order to hide the source of the funds. Michel was reportedly paid at least $8 million and up to $40 million in his role assisting Low.
Where Does Michel Now Stand?
Despite his previous and latest charges, Michel performed alongside Hill at and Jean at the September, 2021 Pier 17 show and was scheduled to partake in the reunion tour.
However, according to Puck, it was the Justice Department that would not allow Michel to leave on an international tour, which included performances in Paris and London. Michel’s trial will take place in Washington D.C. on November 4. Always considered the third Fugees, Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean reunited at this summer’s Essence Festival in New Orleans. The duo performed a medley of hits without Michel.
Logic and Wiz Khalifa co-headlined at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, August 23. The Vinyl Verse Tour features 24kGoldn, Fedd the God, DJ Drama, and C Dot Castro. Within the nearly full amphitheater, the group of artists performed ongoing acts without missing a single beat.
DJ Bonics warmed up the audience to upbeat popular hip hop songs before C Dot Castro hit the stage. Settling in on stage, Castro rapped effortlessly to a fast beat entertaining the large crowd. For some in the audience, it was their first time hearing his music, and this didn’t stop them from dancing and chanting the lyrics right back.
DJ Drama kept the beats rolling for Pittsburg native, Fedd the God. Fedd instantly gave his full energy while performing original songs. Near the end of Fedd’s set, he jumped into the crowd and continued rapping without hesitation.
24kGoldn performed his hit songs “Valentino,” and “Mood,” while many in the crowd sang along, and danced without any encouragement needed.
The lights dimmed and Multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award-nominated Logic, nurtured the crowds excitement as he jumped on stage and performed songs including “Everyday,” “1-800-273-8255,” and more. Logic’s sound projects the same as it does on recordings and he comfortably delivered his lyrics at a rapid pace while walking from side-to-side on the stage.
Following Logic, the lights dimmed one more time for Grammy and Golden Globe nominee, Wiz Khalifa. Khalifa stood on a tall platform and opened with classic hip-hop record “Black and Yellow.” The standing audience waved their arms up and down to the beat of each song; there were a select few that jumped.
The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn will be closing its doors at the end of this month. Benny The Butcher’s Black Soprano Family played one of the final shows at the venue on Aug. 15. In a statement posted to Instagram, the venue’s management wrote “it is time for the Knit to (once again) reinvent itself.” The last show will be on Aug. 21.
BSF at the closing Knitting Factory
The Black Soprano Family (BSF) consists of Heem, Rick Hyde, El Camino, Loveboat Luciano, Fuego Base, and founder Benny The Butcher. The collective has been gaining a lot of momentum lately. Benny had released Tana Talk 4 back in March which included one of the best hip hop songs of the year, “Johnny P’s Caddy” featuring J. Cole and produced by Alchemist. On Sept. 9, Benny and the BSF crew are releasing Long Live DJ Shay, a tribute to their mentor and collaborator who died of Covid-19 in August of last year. The first single from that project is a song produced by DJ Premier called “Times is Rough.”
Their show at the packed Knitting Factory on Monday night was full of energy and emotion. Benny opened with 3 songs from his solo work including “Raw,” “97 Hov,” and “Survivor’s Remorse.” After that each BSF member had a chance to shine. Rick Hyde got into a track from his debut album called “Pandemic Flow” before he and Heem traded verses on “Da Mob” and “It’s Over” off the Respected Sopranos album. Then Rome Streetz made an appearance to perform “Poza” and “Peri Peri.”
Next Loveboat Luciano stepped up to perform “Grams In Da Water,” “Lovey,” and “Parole.” Fuego Base got to show off his skills on three of his tracks “First Day Out,” “9.37,” and “Narcan.” Then newest BSF member El Camino came out to perform “India” with Benny and “Josh Allen” off his collaboration album with Chase Fetti titled Bethlehem.
Next Benny brought out the “first lady” of Griselda, Armani Cesar. She performed “Drill A Rama” and Mac 10s for Everybody” off her album The Liz. Armani is releasing the sequel to this album titled The Liz 2 on Sept. 2. Stove God Cooks also made a quick appearance to perform “Back 2X ” with Benny. The show ended with a few more Benny songs including “Legend” from his Burden of Proof album produced entirely by HItboy, “5 to 50” and “Johnny P’s Caddy.”
BSF Knitting Factory Setlist: Rubber Bands and Weight, 97 Hov, Survivor’s Remorse, Pandemic FLow, Da Mob, It’s Over, Poza, Peri Peri, 430, The Realest, Fell In Love With the Streets, Grams in Da Water, Lovey, Parole, Shine, Madonna, Wins & Losses, First Day Out, 9.37, Josh Allen, Money Feel Better, Drill A Rama, Mac 10’s Sunday School, Back 2X, Times is Rough, 18 Wheeler, Legend, One Way Flight, 5 to 50, Johnny P’s Caddy
Vevo, the world’s leading music video network, has announced Pusha T as the next artist in their Ctrl. series with performances of “Dreamin of the Past” and “Brambleton” from his critically-acclaimed album It’s Almost Dry. Pusha T has previously worked with Vevo for a “Vevo Presents” performance in 2011. In 2018 he gave Vevo an exclusive interview focusing on the making of his Grammy-nominated album called, “How The Purple Tape Shaped Daytona.”
Pusha T gave a live video performance of his record “Brambleton”
Vevo’s Ctrl series highlights the work of hard-hitting, cutting-edge musicians making an impact in today’s music scene – both emerging and established. These artists demand attention, and Vevo’s Ctrl shines a deserving spotlight. Pusha T’s performances follow sessions from Rick Ross, Common, Rapsody, Fat Joe, Jeezy, Jadakiss, Fabolous, A$AP Ferg and more.
It’s Almost Dry arrives as the highly-anticipated follow up to 2018’s highly touted Daytona. In a recent interview with Charlamagne The God, Pusha explained, ”
I had the best of both worlds in regards to production and in regards to two people that actually understand who I am and they like two different things from me that I feel are both really great…this body of work is untouchable because it doesn’t lean too heavy on either side…you get the whole spectrum. It’s my most well-rounded body of work.
Sonically, this album was a change of pace for Pusha T. He experimented by combining his luxury rap style with contemporary melodies and flows, with features from Don Tolliver, Lil Uzi Vert and Kid Cudi. Nothwithstanding, It’s Almost Dry still provided some of what made Daytona such an excellent album. Records like “Dreaming of the Past” — where Pusha T blends his eccentric drug kingpin persona with real life anecdotes — are now a staple of his discography and the Kanye West assisted song is one of the highlights of the album. Whereas “Brambleton” sees Pusha T get a bit more personal, with stories of his days in Virginia and addressing figures from his past.
We was out in Brambleton after Pooh got hit Club Entourage in that new drop six
Wiz Khalifa and Logic are bringing their Vinyl Verse Tour 2022 to Saratoga’s Performing Arts Center on August, 23. Featuring special guests 24kGoldn, DJ Drama, C Dot Castro, and Fedd the God, the 28-city tour kicked-off on July 27 in Irvine, CA, before making stops across the United States. The August 23 date follows a performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on August 16 and preludes their last New York stop of the tour on August 25, at the Darien Lake Amphitheatre.
Since bursting his way onto the scene with his 2011 full-length debut, Rolling Papers, and the classic hip hop record, “Black and Yellow,” Wiz Khalifa has continued to elevate his status among the mainstream elite. Records like “23,” “Or Nah,” “Payphone” and “Young, Wild and Free” have not only maintained replay value, but has solidified Wiz Khalifa as one of the most popular hip hop acts across the world. His 2015 record “See You Again” — which served as a tribute to Paul Walker in the movie Fast 7 — earned him Grammy and Golden Globe nominations while amassing over 5 billion views on Youtube.
Since his emergence in 2010, multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award-nominated Logic has separated himself from the pack as one of the most prolific and prevalent artists of the past decade, a New York Times Bestselling author, and a positive force for change. His record “1-800-273-8255” is the previous phone number for the American National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) and earned the Maryland native two Grammy-award nominations. With a sizable discography to his name, Logic has progressed from a now-legendary run of cult-like mixtapes to three number one albums, sold out arena tours on multiple continents, and 6 billion streams and counting.
Produced by LiveNation, tickets for the 6:30 p.m. performance can be found on their official website.
On Aug. 8th Rage Against the Machine (RATM) played the first of five, sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden (MSG). This was the 15th stop of their “public service announcement” tour. The reunion tour has 51 shows throughout 12 countries and 40 different cities. They were accompanied by Run The Jewels (RTJ). RTJ is a hip hop duo consisting of Brooklyn based rapper/producer El-P and Atlanta based rapper Killer Mike.
Originally announced in 2019, and postponed several times due to the COVID pandemic, this tour marked the band’s first time playing together in 11 years. New Yorkers were clearly excited for their return as all five nights are sold out. The bands politically charged messages throughout their songs feel as relevant today as they did when they were first released decades ago. The energy in the arena was through the roof. Although frontman Zack de la Rocha had to perform the show sitting down due to a leg injury he sustained on the second stop of this tour, his passion and excitement were on full display.
Also outspoken about their political views, Run the Jewels is a perfect match as an opening act for RATM. They opened the show with “Call Ticketron” which appropriately has an opening verse of “run the jewels live at the garden”. They made sure to let us know they’ve been waiting years for that moment, and it set the tone for an explosive set. The chemistry between Killer Mike and EL-P on stage is incredible to see live.
Rage Against The Machine – Madison Square Garden – Aug. 8, 2022 Bombtrack, People of the Sun, Bulls on Parade, Bullet in the head, Revolver (intro only), Testify, Take The Power Back, Wake Up, Guerilla Radio, Down Rodeo, Know Your Enemy, Calm Like a Bomb > Sleep Now in The Fire, Born of a Broken Man, War Within a Breath, The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen cover), Freedom > Township Rebellion > Killing in the Name
Run The Jewels – Madison Square Garden – Aug. 8, 2022 Call Ticketron, Yankee and the Brave (ep.4), Close Your Eyes (And Count to Fuck), Ooh La La (with Greg Nice), Blockbuster Night Part 1, Oh My Darling Don’t Cry, Legend Has it, Stay Gold > Don’t Get Captured, Ju$t, Walking in the Snow, A Few Words for the Firing Squad (Radiation)
On Thursday, August 4, an electric and explosive night to remember, ROT$ Worldwide, Inc. hosted their very own INTERN$ 22 RAGER underground artist showcase in Manhattan. These individuals, all relatively young, received the opportunity to present their artistry to one of the most musically creative and diverse cities in the world.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
According to Tiffany Swiney, Cofounder of ROT$ Worldwide, Inc., a communications agency with a focus on creative thinking free from socio-economic barriers, the company’s five summer interns brainstormed on a collective project, which in the end became the INTERN$ 22 RAGER event. Their challenge was to fulfill the behind-the-scenes tasks in preparation for the showcase. More specifically, the given instructions were to find a venue and several underground upcoming artists. After intense research, the location chosen was 404 Broadway New York, NY and those selected to perform were Arson, INDiGO, NuuDetta!, Fasquiat, Tenahoni, Hendo, Ka$hKenni, Vas, SANDWCH BOI, Daytona Levell, and Slick2x, along with a few others who were guests on different sets.
ROT$ is all about bringing young NYC creatives together in a safe space to sharpen their skills. It was so great to see everyone working together to hype the performers, get their content in, network, and to just be free.
Tiffany Swiney
Arson, one of the performers of the night and the show’s MC, shed light on how the theme came to be. What worked best for everyone was “nightclub rager,” a show with music to last a lifetime. According to Arson, the main genres of the night were rap, emo, trap, and alternative. The intention of this event was to show the diversity of and bring back the great energy from the NYC underground artist scene. After three weeks of preparation for the show, each performer developed an unwavering supportive family bond with one another.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
Although this was Arson’s first opportunity as an MC, the sky was the limit, as she so effortlessly captivated the crowd with her magnetic energy. Her brand began in a middle school parent-teacher conference, in which she was told she has a fire in her. The name Arson began to encapsulate who she is, as she grew up more secure and self-confident. Regardless of Thursday being her second musical performance, her fiery stage presence left her audience in awe.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
I’m in love with who I was because she bled and fought for me today. I try to inspire as many people as I can and lend a warm safe space for people wherever I go. I have high energy, a fire burning bright in my soul and I feel like it comes out in my music. I will always be Elizabeth, but I’m also Arson.
Arson
Similarly to Arson, melodic, trap, and plugg rapper Ka$hKenni discovered their name as a result of their past. Since they were younger, their luck of finding random amounts of cash has yet to cease. Considering Ka$hKenni is perceived to be high class as well, they thought money should be incorporated into their rap name, with the meaning of luck and good fortune.
Ka$hKenni has been creating music for almost two years now, with her first performance at the INTERN$ 22 RAGER event. Ka$hKenni’s favorite song to perform on Thursday was “Find Me,” because of how suspenseful and intriguing the buildup of the 808s are. Nonetheless, it holds a special place in their heart because it was produced with their brother. After discovering the beat for the song, Ka$hKenni was not too fond of it at first, but their brother encouraged them to record to it, in case of a change of heart.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
I didn’t know what kind of flow I wanted to have over the track, and I was stuck. I started thinking more and writing and that’s when I got the hang of it. It reminds me of something old Chief Keef would hop on and that inspired me to keep writing. I wanted the chorus to be very simple and I wanted to sing a little and that’s exactly what I did. We made that song in less than 30 minutes. The next day we played it on the speaker, and we honestly were shocked. I couldn’t believe I could make something like that. I played it for my friends and my brother played it for his and they couldn’t believe we made such a hit.
Ka$hKenni
Sometimes people have to step outside of their comfort zone to reach a new level in their life, and Ka$hKenni is a prime example of this. Ultimately, they want to be remembered as the one who never gave up.
Although the last to showcase their music, Slick2x’s artistry was nothing less than emotional, powerful, and moving. He said music means everything to him, which was undoubtedly noticeable. His performance is yet another step in the right direction, towards success and fulfilling the promise he made to his brother to always follow his dreams three days before his passing.
Photo credit: Courtney Griffin
Every artist has a different journey and personal motivation for fulfilling their music dreams. For Daytona Levell, developing as an artist was a challenge. Nonetheless, nothing deterred him from moving forward and pushing himself against all odds, even 100 to 1.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
I have had a tough journey and at one point did not know what my image and brand should be. However, I decided to do what I love, and it came natural to me.
Daytona Levell
Artist, actor, and creative visionary SANDWCH BOI, chose his name as a joke in high school, during a rap battle and held onto it ever since. His artistry and persona differ exponentially from the average person, which is why his rap name falls under the same concept.
Even though Thursday night was SANDWCH BOI’s first time performing his own music, he’s been grasping his audience since 10-years-old, as an actor within the theater community. Therefore, his self-confidence only grew as the INTERN$ 22 RAGER event neared, especially with the support of his brother and friends, of whom the majority are fellow creatives.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
I had time to watch my friends grow in their craft and when it was my time to shine, they were nothing but supportive. We were just feeding off of each other’s energy it was amazing.
SANDWCH BOI
Out of SANDWCH BOI’s discography, “Saturn” was his favorite to perform at the showcase because of its amped up energy that gets the crowd jumping. Interestingly enough, “Saturn” is a freestyle that was made in just one take, a skill that usually takes years to master, because of how raw it is.
Photo Credit: Courtney Griffin
Considering how his performance created a shift in the night, with multiple mosh pits, everyone’s full attention and endless smiles to go around the room, SANDWCH BOI’s wish to have people “remember seeing this dude in an orange mask going crazy and turning the whole spot up” will undeniably be granted.
INTERN$ 22 RAGER will forever be a night of great nostalgia and euphoria for everyone in attendance, especially for the performers. This was an unforgettable learning experience for the artists involved and will help each one of them grow not only within their craft, but with their audience as well. August 4th, 2022 will forever be a raging night full of immeasurable vibes and timeless music.
