New York City’s soundscape was on full display at the second annual Bronx Summer Jam this past Saturday, July 15. Local Bronx artists encapsulated the Bronx’s vast musical environment, performing everything from rock and hip hop to reggae and soul.
Bronx Summer Jam participants and audience members ’23. Photo courtesy of Michael Nickerson.
This wide array of genres not only reflects the Bronx’s sound but the individuals that create it. Take Emelia Vero for example, who performed on the Kings Stage from 1:30-2:30 pm under her stage name Bombii. In between her silky-smooth songs, she explained why her lyrics switched from English to Spanish. She said by singing in both languages, her music was able to fully represent herself. As such, she loves when people call her by her stage name. If they know her music, they know her. The notes bind audience and singer together, creating a family.
Audience member Francesca echoes Bombii’s sentiments. “I remember being a teenager, and a lot of people from different high schools would all go to these concerts. These would be people whose real names I didn’t even know. But when we were there, we were best friends. We were family.”
For some, it truly is family. From 4:30-5:00 pm, DJ F1rst Class performed. His wife Alina and daughter were front and center to watch him. Alina said the reason they are together is because of their passion for music.
Alina was glad she was able to bring her daughter to relish in the music as well. Most of the time, it isn’t easy to bring children to concerts. But the Bronx Summer Jam was outside at a local park, making it easily accessible for everyone.
“Usually they have it at places where there’s alcohol or it’s indoors. I couldn’t always bring my daughter,” Alina said. “But the Bronx Summer Jam is for all ages.”
Wastewood performing for the crowd at Bronx Summer Jam ’23. Photo courtesy of Michael Nickerson.
Bronx Summer Jam was produced by Sirens & Kings, a co-production company made of two Bronx music collectives, Sounds & Sirens and The Fox & King. They hoped that by locating the festival at a park, it would allow everyone to be able to participate. It was a hope that was achieved.
“I live right across the street, and I came out for just a few minutes to sit on the park bench. Then I started hearing the music and walked right over here,” said Ivecte Lopez.
Despite the scorching heat, the crowd grew throughout the day. Those walking through the park stopped by to enjoy the music. Some set up hammocks or chairs under the trees’ shade and within hearing distance of the festival. Others took on the sun’s beating rays, standing within feet from the stage.
With a bigger crowd, the musicians began to engage with the crowd. Bombii did a call-and-answer. Everytime she said “Para,” the audience sang back “Siempre.” Later in the day, artists Ray Pearson, Ki Storii, WIN, Kony Brooks, and July Quinn left the confines of the stage. They moved across the park’s lawn to the beats of their rap and hip-hop songs.
Their performances were contrasted with the full rock sounds of Wastewood and Balcony Talk. The bands’ sounds were then further contrasted by the acoustic sounds of Drew Torres.
Drew Torres performs at Bronx Summer Jam ’23. Photo courtesy of Michael Nickerson.
During his set, Torres sang an original upbeat song titled “Minus 4,” named for his glasses prescription. He later ended his set with tapping, a technique that involves tapping one’s hands on the guitar’s body.
“This is not just a hobby for me,” Torres said. “This is my therapy. This is the way I personally express myself. I just want to inspire others.”
Audience member and devoted member of the Bronx music scene, Mocha said it was concerts like the Bronx Summer Jam that inspired him to play music. “I was inspired to pick up an instrument at a local show back in 2004. I saw bands and immediately was like, ‘This is what I’m going to do.’ I was sixteen then. Without that concert, I don’t have any clue who I would have been now.”
Perhaps this festival inspired someone in the audience to learn an instrument or to start singing. The festival’s music definitely reached a number of people ranging from those who knew about the festival to those in the park who happened upon it.
To see more of what Sirens & Kings will produce, click here and here.
With Mass Appeal and Live Nation’s Hip Hop 50 Live show at Yankee Stadium less than a month away, new talent has been added to the already stacked lineup.
Some may think that having Run-D.M.C., Snoop Dogg and Lil Wayne already on the roster, there is no possible way to improve the show, but they would be wrong. The new additions include Wiz Khalifa, who will be joining Snoop Dogg for a joint performance, Bronx rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Bronx DJ and Rapper Kid Capri, and Harlem’s own Cam’ron.
Fans can expect a performance of Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa’s hit song “Young, Wild and Free” along with many other classics that span the decades of their respective careers. A Boogie wit da Hoodie is hot off of his world tour, where he performed at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn last March in addition to stopping into Legacy Records in Dumbo to meet some of his fans.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie at his fan meet and greet at Legacy Dumbo. Photo By Lucas Kurzweil.
The Hip Hop 50 show is shaping up to be one for the ages as we celebrate a half decade of Hip Hop where it all started: The Bronx. Tickets for the show are available HERE on Ticketmaster.
This Saturday, July 15, the second annual Bronx Summer Jam will be held at Bronx Park East – Oscar Comras Memorial Mall. Catch live music from local Bronx musicians for free from 12-6 pm.
July Quinn, WIN, and Kony Brooks return to the festival alongside a number of local artists. Drew Torres, The Phoenix Within, Wastewood, Balcony Talk, Richard Pigkaso, and Ki Storii will perform on the Kings Stage. Audience members can enjoy an array of genres, ranging from rap and indie rock to hip hop and reggae.
While artists from the Kings Stage take breaks after their thirty minute sets, the music continues on the Sirens Stage. Audiences will hear Jynn, DJ Mike, and F1rst Class perform.
The festival is produced by Sirens & Kings, a co-production company made of two Bronx music collectives, Sounds & Sirens and The Fox & King. Their goal is to showcase the often overshadowed music scene of the Bronx.
Performer at last year’s Bronx Summer Jam. Photo courtesy of Sirens & Kings.
“Everyone always focuses on Brooklyn, or Queens, or Manhattan for New York City’s music scene,” DJ Mike Nickerson, Founder of Sounds & Sirens, said. “There’s a thriving scene in the Bronx. We hope to be able to showcase it, have it grow, and support everybody in it.”
DJ Mike hopes the Bronx’s music scene will be heard by all, allowing a music community to grow, just like the one from his teenage years. During their teenage years, DJ Mike and Co-Owner and Founder of The Fox and King, Fernando Michael, were part of the Bronx’s The Underground community. The Underground was a prominent music scene in the late 2000s and early 2010s before its decline.
“Going to Bronx Underground shows when I was younger shaped the person I turned into,” DJ Mike said. “When you’re in high school or middle school, you may not like things that other people like. You’re not cool or popular, because you like rock, hip hop, or classical jazz. But coming together in a music community, like what we experienced growing up, helps foster a community that tells you that you’re not alone – that you have a group of people you can identify with and can party with.”
In 2018, The Fox & King started a reemergence of The Underground. They brought back live music shows to the First Lutheran Church in the Bronx. The pandemic, however, killed any efforts of a rejuvenation of this music community. After a lull in live shows, they hope the Bronx Summer Jam will reignite the drive to rebuild this music community.
At last year’s Bronx Summer Jam, sparks of their dream were seen. The first Bronx Summer Jam started off slow, but as the festival continued, its audience grew.
Performers and organizers from last year’s Bronx Summer Jam. Photo courtesy of Sirens & Kings.
“Slowly the public, the regular folks that go to the park, were showing up to the event, without knowing it was there,” said Christopher Vasquez, Co-Owner and Public Relations Manager of The Fox & King. “It became a natural audience.”
Fernando Michael referenced Field of Dreams. “If you build it, they will come.” Not only does this refer to the audience but to the musical artists as well. Fernando said, “We have musical artists reaching out to us in mass, because what we do is so prominent to the borough.”
They will come, even in the rain. The original date of the Bronx Summer Jam was this past June 24. It had to be rescheduled due to potential thunderstorms. Instead of doing nothing, some of the musicians got together and performed at Legendary Bar and Grill in the Bronx. They proved this musical community is back.
Christopher Vasquez notes how essential it is to have this musical community back. “Without someone to tell the story of the people in a community, it’s detrimental. You need the voice. You need the storytellers. The storytellers that are on a mic, the writers that write in a book or a journal – music does all these things. It brings people together.”
To be part of this music community and to check out the vast array of performers, head to the second annual Bronx Summer Jam this Saturday, July 15, from 12-6 pm at Bronx Park East – Oscar Comras Memorial Mall.
As a part of her eight-city tour to support her upcoming memoir, “Thicker than Water,” Kerry Washington will be visiting the Bronx and Manhattan in NYC this September. The event will be an intimate evening with the award-winning actress, director, producer, and activist, spotlighting experiences both on and off-stage.
Cover of Kerry Washington’s memoir, “Thicker than Water.”
Kerry Washington is an Emmy-winning, SAG, and Golden Globe-nominated native of the Bronx. She was widely recognized for her role as Olivia Pope on the hit ABC drama Scandal, the first black woman to headline a network TV drama since 1974. She is a lifelong advocate and activist, using her voice to fight for justice and transformational change.
The tour kicks off in Washington’s hometown of the Bronx before moving to various locations across the United States and United Kingdom. Washington will disclose to audiences the behind the scenes of her life as an artist, an advocate, an entrepreneur, a mother, a daughter, a wife, and a Black woman. In addition, she will share the lessons she has learned for healing childhood wounds, how she embraces adversity, and the wisdom she has gained over her life.
Upcoming Shows
The Bronx, NY – Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club “Day For Kids Festival” – Sept. 23
Detroit, MI – The Fillmore Detroit in partnership with Source Booksellers – Sept. 24
The Bronx Music Heritage Center has announced the return of their signature Bronx Rising! with the addition of various music performances, a film screening, and moderated conversations exploring Congolese influences in Caribbean music and dance. Bronx Rising!is set to begin on June 24th and will stretch to the end of August with three Congolese events scattered throughout.
Bronx Rising! is an annual series that brings the Bronx’s cultural riches, past and present, to life. The kick-off event on June 24th will begin the Congolese series with ‘The Congo Influence in Puerto Rican Bomba’ at 3:00 PM in the Bronx Music Hall Plaza. This conversation will be open to the public and be presented by musical artist Nkumu Katalay and Alex LaSalle, bandleader of the Afro-Puerto Rican Alma Moyo, followed by a performance of both their ensembles.
The next event in the series will take a different direction in exploring Congolese influence as it will feature a special screening of “Kumina Queen.” The film follows Imogene Queenie Kennedy, a priestess in post-colonial Jamaica, as she shares the African spiritual practices of Kumina with the world. Kumina’s basic elements are song, dance, and trance possession which is a driving force in Jamaica’s culture and identity as the music and rhythms employed during Kumina ceremonies have heavily influenced Jamaican popular music including reggae and dancehall. Today, artists such as Nyasha Laing, the film’s director, producer, and screenplay writer, are reimagining Kumina in part because of the constantly changing mysteries of spirit possession. Taking place on July 22nd at 7:00 PM in the BMHC Lab, the event will continue with a moderated discussion and Q&A with Laing and anthropologist Dr. Kenneth Bilby pertaining to the Congo influence present in popular Jamaican music. Tickets for the event will be sold for $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
On August 26th, the series will conclude back at the Bronx Music Hall Plaza with ‘Congo Roots in the Diaspora: “Quien no tiene de Kongo tiene de Karabal픑 which will feature a performance by the Román Díaz Ensemble. Román Díaz himself will remain after the free performance to converse with cultural historian Dr. Ivor Miller and BMHC co-artistic director Bobby Sanabria. The men will examine how Congolese influences have shaped Cuban traditions thus producing some of the most famous performance ensembles of the island.
Despite having such a large impact, Congolese influences and connections have been emphasized less both in the music world and within the Latin American and Caribbean communities in the United States, but their presence pervades many of the music, dance, and artistic traditions. Throughout this summer’s Bronx Rising! Congolese events, the Bronx Music Heritage Center will work to bridge this gap and highlight the connections between cultures, music, religion, and art present in the Bronx.
Bronx Rising! Participating 2023 Artists and Scholars
Nyasha Laing is a documentarian who works to transform our understanding of diverse social and cultural movements and practices. Her independent storytelling—which has appeared in and on the Los Angeles Pan-African Film Festival, BBC World Service, YES Magazine, The Art Museum of the Americas, IMZ International Festival, and European Traveling Showcase—explores loss, regeneration, identity, and freedom.
Dr. Kenneth Bilby is an American anthropologist, ethnomusicologist, and author. His published works include the books Words of Our Mouth, Meditations of Our Heart: Pioneering Musicians of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and Dancehall (2016), Enacting Power: The Criminalization of Obeah in the Anglophone Caribbean, 1760–2011 (2012; with Jerome S. Handler), True-Born Maroons (2005), and Caribbean currents: Caribbean music from rumba to reggae (1995; with Peter Manuel and Michael Largey).
Nkumu Katalay is an artist, orator, multi-instrumentalist, and social activist whose main objective is to promote humanity. Born in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he lives in New York City. Nkumu’s vision highlights the contribution of Congolese cultures in modern world history. He is the founder of The Life Long Project Band, a musical group and a project which focuses on pushing the positive narrative of the Congolese culture via music and social-cultural and educational initiatives. He is also founder of the Afro Congolese Dance program and company which offers weekly dance activities throughout New York City, in schools, corporations, or cultural centers for all ages from children to adults and seniors.
Alex LaSalle is a high priest (Tata Nkisi) to one of the oldest houses of Kongo-Cuban Palo in Cuba and now New York City—Batalla Sacampeño Mayombe. His teacher and mentor is Florencio Miguel Garzon (“Loanganga”) from Cuba. In addition to serving as a diviner and priest, Alex is also a specialist in hundreds of Afro-Cuban Kongo Mambo songs and rituals. Alex is fluent in the Afro-Cuban Bantu/Kongo language, is an avid researcher and oral historian. He has presented lectures for educators and students at Yale, Columbia, New York University, Long Island University, and others. A teaching artist in New York City public schools, Alex is the founder and director of Alma Moyo Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba group, and member of Grammy Nominated Los Pleneros de la 21 and Grupo Folklorico Experimental Nueva Yorquino. Alex has performed with such groups as Roberto Cepeda’s Bomba Aché, William Cepeda’s Afro-Boricua, Felix Alduén y su Tambores, Pa’lo Monte, Nchila Ngoma Mayombe, and 21 Division.
Román Díaz is a Cuban born master percussionist and a living repository of Afro-Cuban culture. He is a noted scholar of Cuban religious and folkloric music as well as a composer and performer of contemporary Afro-Cuban music and Jazz. He has performed and recorded with Cuban diva Mercedíta Valdes, Canadian Jane Bunnett, Juan Carlos Formell, Paquito D’Rivera, and folkloric artist, Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, and Pianist Danílo Pérez. He has also recorded with the Afro-Cuban folkloric groups; Yoruba Andabo, Raices Profundas and Los Marqueses de Atares. He has also performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and the Smithsonian Museum. As a member of the seminal Rumba ensemble, Yoruba Andabo, Díaz aided in the creation of the sound that has defined contemporary Rumba since the 1980’s in Cuba and around the world. Díaz continues to innovate the song style as well as migrating the conical two-headed Bata drum from religious music into contemporary Jazz.
Dr. Ivor Miller is a cultural historian specializing in the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the Americas. He was a Senior Fellow at the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution (2011-2012), a Fulbright Scholar to Nigeria (2009-2011), and teaches in the Bassey Andah Institute for African and Asian Studies at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. His most recent book, “Voice of the Leopard: African Secret Societies and Cuba” (UP of Mississippi 2009/ CBAAC Lagos 2011) was awarded Honorable Mention by the Association for Africanist Anthropology. Based upon fieldwork in Nigeria, Cameroon, Cuba, and the USA, it documents ritual languages and practices that survived the Middle Passage and evolved into a unifying charter for transplanted slaves and their successors.
Bobby Sanabria is Bobby Sanabria is co-artistic director of The Bronx Music Heritage Center and an eight-time Grammy-nominated drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, conductor, producer, educator, and bandleader. He has performed and recorded with legends such as Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, Cándido, Henry Threadgill, Larry Harlow, and the Godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A South Bronx native of Puerto Rican parents, Sanabria was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2006. He holds a B.M. from the Berklee College of Music and is on the faculty of the New School and the Manhattan School of Music, conducting the Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Bands at both schools.
The New York Philharmonic started off summer with a bang on Tuesday, June 13th in the Bronx.
For years, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra has had a yearly summer concert in Van Cortlandt park, and last night continued the tradition. This summer, music director Jaap van Zweden conducts iconic classical pieces Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Johan Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube. The orchestra also plays Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, the William Tell overture, and Strauss’ overture to The Bat.
Audience members got to the Van Cortlandt Parade Grounds in the afternoon early before the concert. Hundreds of people were out on the grass before the sun set. With the orchestra playing such famous pieces, everyone was excited. Plus, audiences this summer get to hear recent pieces composed by two graduates of the New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers program.
Founded by John Deak, the very Young Composers Program (VYC) mentors kids and gives them the “tools they need to transform their musical ideas into finished compositions.” The kids also get to hear professional New York Philharmonic musicians—and sometimes the full orchestra—playing their work. The 12-week program works to empower children ages 8-15 and help them reach their full creative potential. Then, they can create art to express themselves and the world around them. The New York Philharmonic was founded in 1842, and it’s the oldest symphony orchestra in the country. Educational programs like the VYC ensure the future of music by making sure the next generation is given opportunities to learn. The two pieces that the orchestra are performing this summer were written when the students were in VYC.
Bronx resident Mio Mićić wrote their piece, Raft Dino Spies, in 2013 when they was just 9. “The title reflects the fact that I was 9,” they said to the audience last night. The piece depicts the experience of riding a rollercoaster that they went on as a kid. Mićić tried to compose it “as audibly realistic as possible” to make audiences feel the same experience. They even asks the musicians to do something unusual: to scream as loudly and long “as they’re willingly able.” Even though the music is memorable on its own, the screaming orchestra makes it stand out in audience’s minds.
Rodriguez wrote his piece in 2019. At the age of 12, he was inspired by the moon landing to write Trip to the Moon. He saw the moon landing footage and compared it to musical concepts. As the orchestra counts down from ten, they “[take] you for a ride and [give] you a perspective of such an amazing feat.” (Michael Rodriguez) Lately, Rodriguez has been inspired recently by Latin music, and how to compose for orchestras based in the style.
Just like always, the performance ended with a fireworks show. The New York Philharmonic is still performing free Concerts in the Parks this summer. On the 16th, they’ll be in Queens’ Cunningham Park, then Friday the orchestra plays at Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Both of these outdoor shows start at 8PM. Although sold out, the Philharmonic wraps up their concerts in the parks on the 18th with an indoor concert in Staten Island’s St. George Theatre. Still, concerts in Brooklyn and Queens are open for all! If you can’t make it this summer, you can still listen to some of the NY Philharmonic’s great work online.
NYC’s City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage is back for another year of concerts and entertainment. This season the series features everything from folk music icons to some of hip-hop’s most innovative voices. Most of the notable concerts will take place at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. 12 different neighborhood parks across all five boroughs of NYC will also serve as venues. Concerts begin on June 3 and run until September 30.
Since its inception in 1986, SummerStage has established itself as one of New York City’s premier concert series. With 80 shows Summerstage showcases a diverse set of artists from various genres week after week. Apart from some ticketed benefit concerts, SummerStage events are usually open to the public and free.
In addition to concerts, Central Park will also screen films and host a multitude of different celebrations. The iconic greenspace has become an inseparable from NYC, hosting some of the most well known artists throughout the years. Curtis Mayfield, Elvis Costello, Crosby, Stills & Nash, and Jazmine Sullivan have all graced the stage in Central Park.
The other parks and outdoor spaces hosting SummerStage in 2023 include Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Von King Park and The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, Crotona Park in the Bronx, Stapleton Waterfront Park in Staten Island, and SummerStage’s flagship venue at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park.
This year SummerStage will celebrate hip-hop as the genre celebrates its 50th anniversary. The series aims to highlight not only its significance to NYC but also the impact it has had worldwide.
As part of the celebration, a special edition showcase will take over Coney Island on August 6. The event will feature artists Special Ed and many more, hosted by Ralph McDaniels. Frankie Cutlass and Black Sheep’s Dres will join the festivities on August 12 in Staten Island. A day later DJ Funk Flex will bring his birthday celebration to Brooklyn on August 13.
SummerStage’s 2023 roster boasts several international musicians but also tries to celebrate some of the city’s local artists. Argentina’s TRUENO and Puerto Rico’s Villano Antillano highlight the influence of Caribbean and reggaetón. Meanwhile Brooklyn-based artist Nick Hakim looks to bring his soulful R&B sounds back to his hometown.
We are thrilled to present another vibrant season filled with captivating artists from around the world and introduce music fans to their diverse sounds
Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director of SummerStage.
Saturday, June 3, 7 p.m., Central Park – Hippo Campus & Gus Dapperton – Benefit Concert
Sunday, June 4, 6:30 p.m., Central Park – Indigo Girls – Benefit Concert
Saturday, June 10, 6 p.m., Central Park – Opening Night American Blues – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 14, 7 p.m., Central Park – New York Sings Yiddish! – FREE Concert
Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m., Central Park – Sammy Rae & The Friends – Benefit Concert
Saturday, June 17, 4 p.m., Central Park – The Aussie BBQ – FREE Concert
Sunday, June 18, 6 p.m., Central Perk – Buddy Guy’s Damn Right Farewell Tour – Benefit Concert
Monday, June 19, 4 p.m., Central Park – Park Jams, a Juneteenth Celebration – Benefit Concert
Tuesday, June 20, 7 p.m., Central Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Gabriella Reyes / René Barbera / Will Liverman and Dimitri Dover – FREE Concert
Friday, June 23, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bridge Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Gabriella Reyes / René Barbera/ Will Liverman / Dimitri Dover – FREE Concert
Saturday, June 24, 5 p.m., Central Park – Stanley Clarke N 4ever / Kenny Garrett / Brandee Younger / DJ Logic in Association with Blue Note Jazz Festival – FREE Concert
Saturday, June 24, 7 p.m., Jackie Robinson Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Sunday, June 25, 3 p.m. – Dreamland – Pride in Central Park – Benefit Concert
Monday, June 26, 6 p.m., Williamsbridge Oval – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 28, 6 p.m., Socrates Sculpture Garden – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 28, 7 p.m., – Michael Franti & Spearhead – Benefit Concert
Friday, June 30, 7 p.m., Clove Lakes Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 1, 5 p.m., Central Park – Andy Shauf / Leith Ross / Yves Jarvis in association with the Consulate General of Canada in New York – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 2, 5 p.m., Central Park – Andy Shauf / Leith Ross / Yves Jarvis in association with the Consulate General of Canada in New York – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 8, 5 p.m., Central Park – Catalan Sounds On Tour: Queralt Lahoz / Marala / Lia Kali with DJ sets by DJ Trapella in association with the Institut Ramon Llull – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 9, 5 p.m., Coney Island – Tuff Gong Takeover feat Skip Marley & Friends – FREE Concert
Monday, July 10, 6 p.m., Central Park – Noel Gallagher & High Flying Birds and Garbage – Benefit Concert
Wednesday, July 12, 6 p.m., Central Park – Juanes / Conexion Divina in association with LAMC – FREE Concert
Thursday, July 13, 5 p.m., Central Park – Bastille Day: Joachim Garraud & Marie Berson / Passi / Bénabar / Adèle Castillon in association with Consulate General of France – FREE Concert
Thursday, July 13, 7 p.m., Von King Park – Works & Process at SummerStage: The Masterz at Work Dance Family with Courtney Washington – FREE Concert
Friday, July 14, 6 p.m., Von King Park – Nick Hakim / June McDoom / Evan Wright – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 15, 4 p.m., Von King Park – MIKE’S Young World III: Noname / Georgia Anne Muldrow / 454 – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 15, 5 p.m., Central Park – TRUENO / Villano Antillano / Dawer x Damper / KEXP’s El Sonido with Albina Cabrera ft. Camola DJ set in association with LAMC – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 16, 4 p.m., Coney Island – GOLDEN OLDIES ON THE BOARDWALK 2023 feat. The Duprees / The Coasters / Charlie Thomas’ Drifters w/ Jeff Hall / Bobby Wilson / Stan Zizka’s Del Satins / Vito Picone & The Elegants / The Chiclettes and More / Hosted by Joe Causi with DJ Vinnie Medugno in association with Fever Productions and Brian Rosenberg – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 16, 6 p.m, Von King Park – dead prez / th1rt3en / Large Professor DJ Set – FREE Concert
Wednesday, July 19, 5 p.m., Central Park – Julia Jacklin / Y La Bamba / Black Belt Eagle Scout -FREE Concert
Thursday, July 20, 5 p.m., Central Park – Horsegirl / Iceage / Water From Your Eyes / Lifeguard – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 22, 5 p.m., Central Park – Michael Brun Presents BAYO – Benefit Concert
Saturday, July 22, 5 p.m., Flushing Meadows Corona – Kool and the Gang – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 23, 5 p.m., Central Park – Taiwanese Waves: Waa Wei / The Dinosaur’s Skin / Mandarin Homework (DJ Mr. Skin) – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 23, 6 p.m., Flushing Meadows Corona Park – DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Bacchanal: DJ Rekha / Malkit Singh with live band / DJ Ana / Sikh Knowledge / Rolex Rasathy / Param Singh / Dholi Anuradha and guests – FREE Concert
Thursday, Aug 3, 6 p.m., Crotona Park – Ted Smooth’s Freestyle Jam ft. TKA and Judy Torres – FREE Concert
Friday, Aug 4, 5 p.m., Crotona Park – “Birth of a Culture” Grandmaster Flash and Friends – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 5, 5 p.m., Central Park – The Originals: Stretch Armstrong / Rich Medina / Tony Touch / Clark Kent / D-Nice – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 5, 7 p.m., Crotona Park – Stonebwoy in association with Ghanafest-NY Crotona Park – FREE Concert
Sunday, August 6, 4 p.m., Coney Island – Hip-Hop 50: SPECIAL EDITION: Nice N Smooth / Special Ed /Buckshot of Black Moon / Masta Ace / CL Smooth / Rah Digga / Rampage / Black Sheep Dres / Sweet Tee / Joeski Love / Sparky D / Hosted by Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box) – FREE Concert
Wednesday and Thursday, Aug 9 & 10, 7 p.m. Mt. Joy – Benefit Concerts – Sold Out
Saturday, Aug 12, 5 p.m., Waterfront Park – Frankie Cutlass / The Original Cover Girls / Cynthia / Black Sheep / DJ Millo and DJ Medina in Association with Maker Park Radio Stapleton Waterfront Park – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 12, 5 p.m., Central Park – VP Records Presents Roots Reggae Review – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 13, 5 p.m., Coney Island – Funk Flex & Friends Birthday Concert Featuring Raheem DeVaughn, Rob Base & More – FREE Concert
Aug 13, 5 p.m, Waterfront Park – Las Cafeteras / Natu Camara / Justy / DJ Kitty the Disc Jockey in Association with Maker Park Radio and La Isla Bonita Stapleton – FREE Concert
Thursday, Aug 17, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Works & Process at SummerStage: The Missing Element with The Beatbox House / LayeRhythm – FREE Concert
Friday, Aug 18, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Jason Moran and the Big Bandwagon: James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield in Association with Jazzmobile – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 19, 5 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Mixtape (Film Screening) / DJ sets by Ron G / Doo Wop / Mister Cee / Tony Touch / Brucie B – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 19, 5 p.m. – Cautious Clay, Wet, Christian Kuria, and Zindelphia – Benefit
Sunday, Aug 20, 4 p.m., Coney Island – Jose Alberto “El Canario” / The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra: The Music Of Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente – FREE Concert
Aug 20, 5 p.m., Central Park – Everyday People – FREE Concert
Aug 20, 5 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Hip-Hop 50: Native Tongue Edition: Monie Love / Black Sheep Dres / Chi Ali / DJ Red Alert hosted by Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box) – FREE Concert
Wednesday, Aug 23, 4:30 p.m. – Manchester Orchestra and Jimmy Eat World – Benefit Concert
Thursday, Aug 24, 8 p.m. – Regina Spektor – Benefit Concert
Friday, Aug 25, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band featuring Dianne Reeves / T.K. Blue in association with Jazzmobile – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 26, 3 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: The Cookers / Endea Owens and the Cookout / Nduduzo Makhathini Trio / Akua Allrich and The Tribe – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 27, 3 p.m., Tompkins Square Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Charles McPherson with Terell Stafford / Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet / HERA feat. Chelsea Baratz and Andromeda Turre / Michael Mayo – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 27, 5 p.m., Central Park – Palmwine Festival: Show Dem Camp and Friends in association with Move Forward Music – FREE Concert
Wednesday, Aug 30, 7 p.m. – Vance Joy with Dan Sultan – Benefit Concert
Thursday, Aug 31, 6 p.m., Central Park – In Our Own Sweet Time Tour: Vance Joy / Dan Sultan Subaru Music Series – Benefit Concert
Sunday, Sep 3, 5 p.m., Central Park – Emicida / Goyo / Screening: AmarElo: It’s All for Yesterday / in Association with 27th Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival – FREE Concert
Thursday, Sep 14, 5 p.m., Central Park – Tanya Tucker / Nikki Lane Subaru Music Series – FREE Concert
The celebratory and legendary concert Hip Hop 50 has been announced for Aug. 11 at Yankee Stadium, celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop with some of the biggest names in the genre including Run DMC, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and more.
Hip Hop 50 is celebrating 50 years of Hip Hop right in the birthplace of the genre, the Bronx. EMMY Award-winner and BASSic Black Entertainment CEO Adam Blackstone, who was the musical director for the dynamic, star-studded halftime show at Super Bowl LVI, where he also performed bass guitar on stage, is serving as managing creative music director, along with partner, producer/keyboardist Omar Edwards (Musical Director for JAY-Z).
The event is a part of Mass Appeal’s Hip Hop 50 initiative – a massive cross-platform initiative that celebrates Hip Hop’s anniversary in the most authentic and globally impactful way possible by acknowledging and recognizing Hip Hop as not only a genre but a movement that has impacted the worldwide community. Every facet of the Universe includes a charitable component connected to the Universal Hip Hop Museum.
Aug 11th is Hip Hop’s 50th birthday! So…’Up in the Bronx’ where it all started we will be celebrating this historic moment in history! I am honored to pay tribute to the culture that allowed this little shy kid from Queens to grow up and become The Mighty King of Rock! Thank you Hip Hop!!!
DMC
The event includes many well-known artists from the five boroughs and rappers born outside of New York. Featured is Run DMC’s “Bottom of the Ninth…The Walk-Off” performance, Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, a “Queens of Hip Hop” set featuring Eve, Lil Kim, Remy Ma, Trina, and more, as well as the beginning founders of rap like DJ Kool Herc, who was known for his turntablism that influenced early rap, and the Sugar Hill Gang. More artists are to be announced soon.
DJ Kool Herc, credit Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Hip Hop 50 live at Yankee Stadium tickets will become available beginning with presales on Thursday, June 8 at 10 a.m. EST until 10 p.m. EST before the general sale on Friday, June 9 at 10 a.m. EST. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit here.
Cardi B continues her run of prominent features, this time bringing her New York flair to Grammy-nominated Latto’s thumper “Put It On Da Floor.” According to Billboard, Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor” debuted atop the Hot Trending Songs rankings. The official music video premiered on April 24 on YouTube and has gained nearly 6 million views.
In like manner, “Put It On Da Floor Again” sees the hottest from New York add her Midas touch to an already buzzing record. Similarly, the duo have released an accompanying music video that is trending #1 on YouTube. Together with cameos from Offset and college hoops star Angel Reese, the duo prance without care through a jewelry store flashing loads of cash before taking the sultry production to a house party as Latto and Cardi exchange combative lyrics, asserting themselves as the ones to be reckoned with.
Despite not releasing a studio album in five years Cardi B has maintained her threshold atop the hip hop mountaintop through a series of culture shifting features. Given that those records have been side-by-side with the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Glorilla and Latto, Cardi B has also gained a reputation for wanting to help usher in the next generation of female rappers.
After all, since its release, “Put It On Da Floor” sparked significant conversation on social media platforms. Some listeners believed Latto took subliminal shots at her rap rival Nicki Minaj in the song after the duo clashed on social media last year. “She thought I would kiss her ass, she must ain’t took her meds,” raps Latto on both version of “Put It On Da Floor.” For their part, Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have their own complicated history that has even resulted in fisticuffs.
The City Parks Foundation has announced the start of its 2023 SummerStage season, which begins June 3 and will host several events in Central Park and 12 neighborhood parks across the five boroughs.
Returning for its 37th year, the 2023 season continues until September 30 and will combine free and benefit shows. City Parks’ 2023 season will continue to showcase established and emerging artists from across the globe, presenting many genres including salsa, jazz, hip-hop, indie rock, reggae, Afrobeats, soul, pop, global, contemporary dance, and more.
Locations for the 2023 City Parks Summerstage season. Credit: Lauren Martin.
The City Parks Summer 2023 season will additionally shine a celebratory spotlight on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, highlighting the genre’s influence globally with a diverse, multi-faceted series of events showcasing all elements of hip-hop culture, from live performances and DJ sets to dance and graffiti displays across the five boroughs.
SummerStage is back for another exceptional year of free programming. It’s an honor to bring to parks artists that are reflective of each neighborhood’s rich cultural fabric, whether these performers are familiar or completely new discoveries. Feeling the joy and wonder of live music with other New Yorkers is an experience that is unmatched and should not be underestimated. At a time when we are increasingly isolated, SummerStage uses our city’s parks — vital resources in every neighborhood — to connect audiences with each other in a very emotional and magical way and, ultimately, to create community.
Heather Lubov, City Parks Foundation’s Executive Director
This season will feature acclaimed local artists returning to their New York roots. Brooklyn-based artist Nick Hakim will bring his soulful R&B sounds back to Brooklyn when he performs on July 14 in Von King Park; R&B legends Kool & The Gang will return to SummerStage on July 22 in Queens’ Flushing Meadows Corona Park; salsa legend Eddie Palmieri will have crowds dancing on August 14 in Crotona Park; and fans of New York City’s Latin -infused freestyle sound will enjoy high-energy performances by DJ Frankie Cutlass and The Cover Girls on August 12 in Staten Island’s Stapleton Waterfront Park.
The City Parks 2023 Season will also feature ticketed benefit shows in Central Park to help support City Parks Foundation’s free performances, and these shows begin at the start of the season on June 3, at Central Park with artists Hippo Campus and Gus Dapperton. More benefit shows will be announced throughout the season.
The City Parks Foundation is dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building, and education programs for all New Yorkers. Their programs — located in more than 300 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across New York City — reach over 275,000 people each year.
The City Parks Foundation SummerStage is one of New York’s most beloved, broadly accessible, free outdoor performing arts festivals, with SummerStage annually presenting nearly 80 free and benefit performances in Central Park and neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs to 217,000 fans. With performances in genres representing the cultural fabric of New York City ranging from jazz, hip-hop, Latin, global, indie, and contemporary dance, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City’s summer arts festival landscape. Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage.
City Parks 2023 Season Schedule
Saturday, June 3, 7 p.m., Central Park – Hippo Campus & Gus Dapperton – Benefit Concert
Sunday, June 4, 6:30 p.m., Central Park – Indigo Girls – Benefit Concert
Saturday, June 10, 6 p.m., Central Park – Opening Night American Blues – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 14, 7 p.m., Central Park – New York Sings Yiddish! – FREE Concert
Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m., Central Park – Sammy Rae & The Friends – Benefit Concert
Saturday, June 17, 4 p.m., Central Park – The Aussie BBQ – FREE Concert
Sunday, June 18, 6 p.m., Central Perk – Buddy Guy’s Damn Right Farewell Tour – Benefit Concert
Monday, June 19, 4 p.m., Central Park – Park Jams, a Juneteenth Celebration – Benefit Concert
Tuesday, June 20, 7 p.m., Central Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Gabriella Reyes / René Barbera / Will Liverman and Dimitri Dover – FREE Concert
Friday, June 23, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Bridge Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Gabriella Reyes / René Barbera/ Will Liverman / Dimitri Dover – FREE Concert
Saturday, June 24, 5 p.m., Central Park – Stanley Clarke N 4ever / Kenny Garrett / Brandee Younger / DJ Logic in Association with Blue Note Jazz Festival – FREE Concert
Saturday, June 24, 7 p.m., Jackie Robinson Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Sunday, June 25, 3 p.m. – Dreamland – Pride in Central Park – Benefit Concert
Monday, June 26, 6 p.m., Williamsbridge Oval – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 28, 6 p.m., Socrates Sculpture Garden – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Wednesday, June 28, 7 p.m., – Michael Franti & Spearhead – Benefit Concert
Friday, June 30, 7 p.m., Clove Lakes Park – The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital ft. Erika Baikoff / Thomas Glass / Cierra Byrd / Juan José Lázaro – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 1, 5 p.m., Central Park – Andy Shauf / Leith Ross / Yves Jarvis in association with the Consulate General of Canada in New York – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 2, 5 p.m., Central Park – Andy Shauf / Leith Ross / Yves Jarvis in association with the Consulate General of Canada in New York – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 8, 5 p.m., Central Park – Catalan Sounds On Tour: Queralt Lahoz / Marala / Lia Kali with DJ sets by DJ Trapella in association with the Institut Ramon Llull – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 9, 5 p.m., Coney Island – Tuff Gong Takeover feat Skip Marley & Friends – FREE Concert
Monday, July 10, 6 p.m., Central Park – Noel Gallagher & High Flying Birds and Garbage – Benefit Concert
Wednesday, July 12, 6 p.m., Central Park – Juanes / Conexion Divina in association with LAMC – FREE Concert
Thursday, July 13, 5 p.m., Central Park – Bastille Day: Joachim Garraud & Marie Berson / Passi / Bénabar / Adèle Castillon in association with Consulate General of France – FREE Concert
Thursday, July 13, 7 p.m., Von King Park – Works & Process at SummerStage: The Masterz at Work Dance Family with Courtney Washington – FREE Concert
Friday, July 14, 6 p.m., Von King Park – Nick Hakim / June McDoom / Evan Wright – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 15, 4 p.m., Von King Park – MIKE’S Young World III: Noname / Georgia Anne Muldrow / 454 – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 15, 5 p.m., Central Park – TRUENO / Villano Antillano / Dawer x Damper / KEXP’s El Sonido with Albina Cabrera ft. Camola DJ set in association with LAMC – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 16, 4 p.m., Coney Island – GOLDEN OLDIES ON THE BOARDWALK 2023 feat. The Duprees / The Coasters / Charlie Thomas’ Drifters w/ Jeff Hall / Bobby Wilson / Stan Zizka’s Del Satins / Vito Picone & The Elegants / The Chiclettes and More / Hosted by Joe Causi with DJ Vinnie Medugno in association with Fever Productions and Brian Rosenberg – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 16, 6 p.m, Von King Park – dead prez / th1rt3en / Large Professor DJ Set – FREE Concert
Wednesday, July 19, 5 p.m., Central Park – Julia Jacklin / Y La Bamba / Black Belt Eagle Scout -FREE Concert
Thursday, July 20, 5 p.m., Central Park – Horsegirl / Iceage / Water From Your Eyes / Lifeguard – FREE Concert
Saturday, July 22, 5 p.m., Central Park – Michael Brun Presents BAYO – Benefit Concert
Saturday, July 22, 5 p.m., Flushing Meadows Corona – Kool and the Gang – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 23, 5 p.m., Central Park – Taiwanese Waves: Waa Wei / The Dinosaur’s Skin / Mandarin Homework (DJ Mr. Skin) – FREE Concert
Sunday, July 23, 6 p.m., Flushing Meadows Corona Park – DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Bacchanal: DJ Rekha / Malkit Singh with live band / DJ Ana / Sikh Knowledge / Rolex Rasathy / Param Singh / Dholi Anuradha and guests – FREE Concert
Thursday, Aug 3, 6 p.m., Crotona Park – Ted Smooth’s Freestyle Jam ft. TKA and Judy Torres – FREE Concert
Friday, Aug 4, 5 p.m., Crotona Park – “Birth of a Culture” Grandmaster Flash and Friends – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 5, 5 p.m., Central Park – The Originals: Stretch Armstrong / Rich Medina / Tony Touch / Clark Kent / D-Nice – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 5, 7 p.m., Crotona Park – Stonebwoy in association with Ghanafest-NY Crotona Park – FREE Concert
Sunday, August 6, 4 p.m., Coney Island – Hip-Hop 50: SPECIAL EDITION: Nice N Smooth / Special Ed /Buckshot of Black Moon / Masta Ace / CL Smooth / Rah Digga / Rampage / Black Sheep Dres / Sweet Tee / Joeski Love / Sparky D / Hosted by Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box) – FREE Concert
Wednesday and Thursday, Aug 9 & 10, 7 p.m. Mt. Joy – Benefit Concerts – Sold Out
Saturday, Aug 12, 5 p.m., Waterfront Park – Frankie Cutlass / The Original Cover Girls / Cynthia / Black Sheep / DJ Millo and DJ Medina in Association with Maker Park Radio Stapleton Waterfront Park – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 12, 5 p.m., Central Park – VP Records Presents Roots Reggae Review – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 13, 5 p.m., Coney Island – Funk Flex & Friends Birthday Concert Featuring Raheem DeVaughn, Rob Base & More – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 13, 5 p.m, Waterfront Park – Las Cafeteras / Natu Camara / Justy / DJ Kitty the Disc Jockey in Association with Maker Park Radio and La Isla Bonita Stapleton – FREE Concert
Thursday, Aug 17, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Works & Process at SummerStage: The Missing Element with The Beatbox House / LayeRhythm – FREE Concert
Friday, Aug 18, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Jason Moran and the Big Bandwagon: James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield in Association with Jazzmobile – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 19, 5 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Mixtape (Film Screening) / DJ sets by Ron G / Doo Wop / Mister Cee / Tony Touch / Brucie B – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 19, 5 p.m. – Cautious Clay, Wet, Christian Kuria, and Zindelphia – Benefit
Sunday, Aug 20, 4 p.m., Coney Island – Jose Alberto “El Canario” / The Big 3 Palladium Orchestra: The Music Of Machito, Tito Rodriguez and Tito Puente – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 20, 5 p.m., Central Park – Everyday People – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 20, 5 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Hip-Hop 50: Native Tongue Edition: Monie Love / Black Sheep Dres / Chi Ali / DJ Red Alert hosted by Ralph McDaniels (Video Music Box) – FREE Concert
Wednesday, Aug 23, 4:30 p.m. – Manchester Orchestra and Jimmy Eat World – Benefit Concert
Thursday, Aug 24, 8 p.m. – Regina Spektor – Benefit Concert
Friday, Aug 25, 7 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band featuring Dianne Reeves / T.K. Blue in association with Jazzmobile – FREE Concert
Saturday, Aug 26, 3 p.m., Marcus Garvey Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: The Cookers / Endea Owens and the Cookout / Nduduzo Makhathini Trio / Akua Allrich and The Tribe – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 27, 3 p.m., Tompkins Square Park – Charlie Parker Jazz Festival: Charles McPherson with Terell Stafford / Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet / HERA feat. Chelsea Baratz and Andromeda Turre / Michael Mayo – FREE Concert
Sunday, Aug 27, 5 p.m., Central Park – Palmwine Festival: Show Dem Camp and Friends in association with Move Forward Music – FREE Concert
Wednesday, Aug 30, 7 p.m. – Vance Joy with Dan Sultan – Benefit Concert
Thursday, Aug 31, 6 p.m., Central Park – In Our Own Sweet Time Tour: Vance Joy / Dan Sultan Subaru Music Series – Benefit Concert
Sunday, Sep 3, 5 p.m., Central Park – Emicida / Goyo / Screening: AmarElo: It’s All for Yesterday / in Association with 27th Inffinito Brazilian Film Festival – FREE Concert
Thursday, Sep 14, 5 p.m., Central Park – Tanya Tucker / Nikki Lane Subaru Music Series – FREE Concert
