NYS Music 2023

Category: Hip Hop/Rap

  • The Governors Ball 2023 – Lizzo, Odesza, Kendrick Lamar Headline Move to Flushing Meadows

    The Governors Ball is moving down the block in 2023; shifting over to Flushing Meadows Corona Park for a stacked weekend headlined by Lizzo, Odesza, and Kendrick Lamar. The storied NYC music festival has had several homes over the years, spending the last two years in the parking lot of Citi Field. From June 9-11, the festival pops up in one of the most iconic green spaces in the city, host to two World’s Fairs and the annual US Open tennis tournament.

    governors ball 2023
    The Governors Ball 2023 Lineup

    The Governors Ball 2023 lineup leans heavily into rap, hip hop, and R&B, bookending the weekend with performances by Lizzo and Kendrick Lamar. Friday and Sunday also feature performances from the School of Rock Queens and Brooklyn, respectively. The performance-based music schools provide lessons to people of all ages and will be presenting their house bands for two very special performances at the festival. Other New York natives on the lineup include Pusha T (Bronx), Joey Bada$$, and Phony Ppl (Brooklyn).

    A music festival that calls Queens home has to meet certain requirements. The “World’s Borough” by itself is one of the most diverse metro areas anywhere in the world. Roosevelt Avenue sits right outside the festival grounds and it is estimated that nearly 300 languages and dialects are spoken in the neighborhoods Roosevelt cuts through. This year, The Governors Ball is partnering with the Queens Night Market to present a wide array of cultural vendors from Queens to be featured inside the festival. Fans will be able to sample the food, art, and cultural diversity of the borough while navigating the festival grounds in Flushing Meadows.

    The Citi cardmember presale starts today, Jan. 17, and runs through Thursday, Jan. 19. You can also register for the fan presale, which begins on Jan. 19. Head over to GovBall.com to signup for the fan presale.

    Stay tuned to NYS Music for more information about the festival, including the dates for the general sale which are yet to be announced. In the meantime, you can relive the 2022 edition (and the last at Citi Field) by checking out our Friday, Saturday, and Sunday recaps.

  • French Montana and DJ Drama Add Latest Edition To Coke Boys Mixtape Series

    French Montana returns with the latest edition of his signature mixtape series. Hosted by DJ Drama, Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition, is a combined Gangsta Grillz and Coke Boys presentation, featuring a host of up-and-comers and established names. Bronx native — French Montana — debuted the Coke Boys series in 2010 and followed it with his first national tour. At the time, Montana represented everything authentic coming out of the Bronx, bringing a new sound and wave. In like manner, the “Unforgettable” rapper presents the next generation of trendsetters from the Bronx and the rest of New York.

    French Montana’s Coke Boy 6 mixtape features upcoming talent from the Bronx

    DJ Drama & French Montana’s Vision

    The 29-track LP seems to be a mashup of precocious and established artists from the East and South. While French Montana recruited the best from New York, DJ Drama is no stranger to artist discovery himself. The legendary DJ has hosted projects with some of hip hop’s premier acts and has (despite hailing from Philadelphia) established himself as a major figure in the southern rap scene. Together, the duo bring the essence of the Coke Boys and Gangta Grills era, while showcasing rising stars.

    The Grammy-nominated French Montana is one of hip hop’s most recognizable faces

    Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition sees up-and-comers the likes of Dthang, Bando Gz, King Combs, Rob 49, EST Gee, get to showcase themselves along with more established stars like A$AP Rocky, Kodak Black and French Montana himself.

    As always, the Moroccan born Montana will look to provide an authentic street presence to the Coke Boys 6 while bringing a fresh idiosyncratic sound to complement them, the same way he made his name over a decade ago.

    I want to accomplish everything off my bucket list. And I’m not talking about like Grammys, because we can’t control that. You can’t control people like you can control the streets. Because, number one, I always wanted to make albums full of all the best music that I love from back in the day.

    – French Montana for GQ Magazine

  • It’s Just Al Releases Single “First Impressions”

    Rochester’s It’s Just Al has just dropped “First Impressions,” a catchy tune for his first ever Spotify release. The song emphasizes a rap about a love that makes you constantly want to be with your significant other because of how real it is. Alex raps about how his love is like a drug, specifically cocaine.

    It's Just Al

    When Alex was just twelve years old, his mother fell ill with a disease called vasculitis. This is when your immune system hurts your blood vessels by mistake. Over the next few months since diagnosis, Alex watched his mother grow weaker until her passing on Friday June 15th, 2018. For the next four years of his life Alex would deal with his grief in silence, only for it to be washed away when he heard his first ever rap song, mockingbird by Eminem. 

    From that day on, Alex fell in love with the emotional side of rap music. He became heavily inspired to make others feel happy inside, just as he felt when he listened to Eminem for the first time. To form his rap identity, he took this inspiration from popular rap artists such as Eminem, Kanye West, D-12, G-Eazy, Yelawolf, and more. From now on, Alex goes by It’s Just Al.

    It's Just Al

    It’s Just Al’s single “First Impressions” is a pop song infused with rap, combining inspiration from his favorite artists. The vocals and lyrics of the song are very catchy, making it an irresistible hit.  

    Check out It’s just Al on Instagram by clicking the link here.