Benny The Butcher Is Ready To Rise On 'Everybody Can’t Go'

Benny The Butcher is prepared to spar with the biggest names in rap music to prove he’s one of the most prolific MCs in the industry. 

"My confidence comes from my talent, and my talent comes from my preparation," Benny tells GRAMMY.com. 

For the uninitiated, the East Buffalo rapper's brash delivery and unshakeable confidence could be perceived as arrogance. But for Benny and long-time fans of the Montana Avenue vet, he’s more than earned the distinction. 

"If you see these dudes, they’re not confident because they’re not prepared to talk that talk. We stand behind this music, man," he continues. "I’m only on this interview with you because I rap good. I’m not on this interview with you because I’m dating an R&B chick, or because I have a Rihanna feature.”

Benny The Butcher is just days ahead of releasing Everybody Can’t Go, his debut album with Def Jam Recordings. Out Jan. 26, Everybody is Benny's major label launch but it's far from his first foray.

Off the heels of his critically acclaimed album Tana Talk 4 in 2022 — which boasted the viral hit "Johnny P’s Caddy" featuring J. Cole — Benny has kept a steady hand on the pulse of the rap game. Since then, he’s been heard on DJ Drama’s "Forever," G Herbo’s "Real Rap" and memorialized a Buffalo legend on the BSF project Long Live DJ Shay.  

In that time, Benny, born Jeremie Pennick, has fashioned himself as the proprietor of "caviar drug rap," and he’s not afraid to remind you, either. He’s confident the release of Everybody Can’t Go will showcase his evolution as an artist.

"I’m on a higher level than I was. Everybody gets to watch my career elevate and it’s right in front of me," he says. "From the mixtapes, from the freestyles, featuring on Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine’s s–, and people share that journey with me. It’s high-level drug rap."

After switching his moniker from "Benny" to "Benny The Butcher," he veered away from rapping over other artists’ beats and started working with in-house Griselda producers like Daringer to round out his nostalgic, boom-bap sound that’s become synonymous with the Griselda imprint. 

If the album’s lead singles "Bron," "Big Dog," and the title track are any indication, Benny isn’t deviating from the sound that made him. Tales of his past exploits are coated in Hit-Boy and Alchemist beats, with features from Griselda and BSF collaborators Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, 38 Spesh, Lil Wayne, and others. But the method behind the music, Benny says, was all the same. 

"I didn’t take no new approach, I just wanted to deliver some dope music and make sure I sounded how I felt," the 39-year-old MC says. "I feel like my sound is more refined and I switched my flow up."

To casual connoisseurs, Benny is a burgeoning star who’s aiming for wider success and acclaim. But for fans of the "Trade It All" lyricist, who saw his rise as the younger cousin of Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine on Griselda, he’s earned the right to share his vivid tales and signature brand of mafioso rap on a larger scale. And he’s already made good use of the label’s platform.

He’s rubbed shoulders with artists like J. Cole, connected with legends like Snoop Dogg for his Def Jam signing, and now has his sights on more R&B-oriented records. Benny wants to work with the "Queens of R&B and hip-hop," naming legends including SZA, Teyana Taylor, Coco Jones, Summer Walker, and others at the top of his list.  

With his ascension, Benny is continuing to discover the perils of fame. He admits it’s challenging to deal with trolls and faceless critics on X (formerly known as Twitter). "You have to remind yourself it’s only a fraction of the people. Their voice is so loud on social media that it tricks the artist into thinking that’s the general population that feels like that, but it’s not," Benny says.

He’s also accepted the fact that not everyone is meant to be a part of his journey. The sentiment inspired the new album title and is reflective of his new attitude: Whether friend or family, hindering his growth is too hefty a price tag. As his career continues to take flight, others will be left at the terminal. 

"Everybody Can’t Go is me realizing, Wow, it’s not for everybody even though I got this far to help provide opportunities," he said. "You could make someone the president or an A&R at Def Jam, but that doesn’t mean they’re ready for it. A lot of people don’t want to work, they just want what comes with the work —  the lifestyle, the fame, and the money."

After the project’s release, Benny intends to expand as a legitimate businessman and do more executive production, starting with his roster of BSF talent, which includes Rick Hyde, Heem B$F, ElCamino, LoveBoat Luciano, and other members. 

With Griselda, Benny already has his two cousins as counterparts, but Benny talked about having his daughter by his side during the album’s press run. He was impressed with her vocal ability and is open to exploring her musical side. "This is a family business," he says. "I encourage everybody to get into music because it’s therapeutic, it keeps you out of the way, and it’s lucrative if you do it right."

Of his growth as a solo artist, Benny says, "It feels like I’m on pace to keep doing great things." In the near-future, he's already making plans to dive into the film industry and drop another project to close out yet another big year in music. 

– GRAMMY.com

‘There’s no edge like Philly’: Why the city’s most talented won’t leave their hometown

Philly’s “got major talent,” as entertainment mogul Charles “Charlie Mack” Alston says. “There are some remarkable people and talent that have come out of Philly, and the city has a surplus of it.”

But the demands of the industry often pull artists, musicians, and actors away from their beloved hometown, forcing them to pack their bags and migrate to cities like New York, L.A., Atlanta, and Miami.

But for Mack, who was Will Smith’s long-term bodyguard and personal assistant before becoming a notable Hollywood power broker, there’s only one place he calls home — and that’s Philly. And he is not alone.

Some entertainers born and bred in the region can’t seem to leave the city behind. We asked them why.

Responses have been lightly edited for clarity.

DJ Jazzy Jeff

DJ and hip-hop pioneer; West Philly native

Where do you live?

I’ve lived in Delaware for almost 20 years, but I never had a desire to move far away. It’s what I know. This is home.

Does the Philly area’s affordability play a factor?

It’s true – Philly isn’t as expensive as New York or L.A., and I know the city so I feel more comfortable here. I know how to navigate Philly; I don’t know how to navigate New York or L.A. In Philly, I know my surroundings.

Why do you think some Philly-born entertainers choose to leave the city?

Philly is a tough town. It prepares you to go off into the rest of the world because Philly doesn’t show love to those who don’t deserve it. Nothing comes easy, and it prepares you to go to places like New York and do a good job.

I think the people who move out of Philly never lose the love for Philly.

What does Philly’s future as an entertainment hub look like?

If you look at the history, [the Philly scene was lively] with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, then it left. That was the neo-soul movement and [then came] The Roots, it all goes in cycles. I tell a lot of inspiring musicians to just be ready when it comes back because it’s coming back.

Tierra Whack

Rapper; North Philly native

What’s inspired you to stay in Philly?

I love to travel, visit new places, and experience new things but nothing feels better than waking up in my hometown, with people that look and feel just like me.

Did you always see yourself staying in Philly?

I am Philly [and] Philly is me. I love my city and everything it has to offer. I want to put my city on the map. I’m not sure why other people leave, but I’m here to stay.

In a past interview, you talked about pouring back into the city. What does that look like for you?

My goal is to build a creative space here in Philly. Not only where I can go and be creative, but where others can, too. I love what’s happening in our city right now, [and] I want to be a positive light for everyone coming up after me.

Eugene ‘ManMan’ Roberts

Producer and musical director; South Philly native

Why do you think so many popular entertainers from Philly prefer to live in Philly?

A lot of people pull from Philly. Every major album, tour, and every band — someone from Philly is in the mix. And sometimes when we leave home and go to these other places, you’re filling them up with your energy, your presence, and your sound, but they can’t refill that cup. You got to go back home to get that vibe, inspiration, and aesthetic that makes home, home.

What’s stopped you from leaving the city?

We got rich history here. We have amazing producers, songwriters, and artists. We’re really good, and I never wanted to turn my back on the place that made me who I am. I’ll always be that no matter where I go.

Do you see Philly becoming a renewed musical hub?

Philly used to have Philly International, Sigma Sound, and all these other studios, and people came here to cut records. But when the world went digital, it took away needing studios. Until we build up an empire of entertainment with studios and rehearsal facilities, I don’t think any city can [become a musical hub].

L.A. is all that because that’s where all the celebrities live, and there’s good weather but I think the pandemic made it a level playing field for everybody.

Charlie Mack

Entertainment mogul and community leader; Southwest Philly native

Why do you think big-name entertainers from Philly choose to venture elsewhere?

Philadelphia is like a character, and people that used to come here admired it, but admired it from afar. If you don’t feel safe, you can’t relax and let your hair down. Right now, we’re in a place where we’re hemorrhaging and going through a very horrific transition, and I hope and pray that the kids here have an opportunity to experience Philly the same way I did.

I love my city, but the reality is people don’t feel safe. And home is supposed to be just that: a place you feel safe and welcome.

How can Philly go back to being what it used to be?

The natives of Philadelphia are in a space where they don’t love themselves. That’s the harsh reality, and it’s hard for someone to stay put when they’re not received or revered from their own people. Artists need validation and love, it’s a part of their makeup. Philly is real and harsh, it will hit you right in your face. Residents won’t give you fanfare if you’re not tapping into the things that make them move.

How can we better retain the talent that comes out of Philly?

I feel like the men of the city of Philadelphia have to restore safety. Women are stepping up in major ways, but men have to restore everything that is amazing about Philadelphia: the artistry, the streets, the sports, the politics, city government, and everything that it’s about.

Adam Blackstone

Multi-instrumentalist and songwriter; Trenton native

What does being close to Philly mean as an entertainer?

One thing is the culture of Philadelphia. There’s a go-getter and hustler’s spirit. For me, no other city has embraced the arts like Philly.

In Philadelphia, we just want to see each other win and we represent our city from all over the world, no matter where we’re from. That’s always a plus we have that maybe other cities don’t.

Are there certain Philly spots that give you inspiration?

When we go to any sports event, whether it’s the Philadelphia Eagles, Sixers, or Flyers, I feel a sense of oneness and a feeling that we’re all fighting for the same thing.

Don Cannon

DJ and record executive, West Philly native now living in Atlanta

Why does it seem like more Philly artists are staying in the city?

I feel like people just love the culture. I can walk through Society Hill and Parkside, and it just feels different than anywhere else in the world, from Brooklyn to Compton. It’s just a different feel, and I think that’s why people want to stay here. And sometimes you get away from home and think, “Man, it’s not the same,” and go back.

I know you relocated to Atlanta, but do you ever come back to Philly?

I left when I was 18, but I often go back to see what’s happening there, what’s the newest trends, and to get some edge. Sometimes you travel across the world, but there’s no edge like Philadelphia.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Meet the sound engineer creating Philly’s new sound

Whether it was the Philadelphia Sound of the 1970s, the piercing jams that propelled the neo-soul era, or the inception of gangsta rap, Philly has always been a pioneer in music and culture. It’s home to artists who have gone against the grain, and now there’s a new legion of creatives continuing the tradition.

From Lil Uzi Vert and Tierra Whack to Armani White, Fridayy, D Sturdy, 2Rare, and others, Philly-bred stars are dominating the airwaves.

White’s “Goated” went viral on TikTok, and vocalist Fridayy is one of the most exciting R&B talents of our time. The booming and frenetic pace of D Sturdy’s “Shake Dhat” and Whack’s “Millions — Jumbo Sounds Mix” has added a Philly-style variety to the electro-sound.

This new Philly sound is a mix of pop-rap, trap, and Jersey club music, a subgenre that originated in Newark in the early 2000s.

One of the architects fueling this new creative wave is Ben Thomas. The 27-year-old audio engineer and producer most recently worked on Lil Uzi Vert’s hit “Just Wanna Rock,” which garnered a nod for best rap song at the 2024 Grammy Awards next month.

“There has been a strong emergence of artists from Philly based on the Jersey wave,” he said. “It’s really dope to see them winning.”

Uzi’s record, Thomas said, is one of the many demonstrating the city’s renewed musical charge and influence, beyond its very recognizable R&B sound.

“I think this period of Philly music is beautiful,” said Thomas, who marked his eighth Grammy nomination with “Just Wanna Rock.” “Uzi does a Philly and Jersey song, and then we have major artists copying their style. Also, we have so much talent here. It’s great to see people getting their shine and I’m blessed to play a small part.”

As an audio engineer and producer, Thomas is partly a curator and a connector. He has linked the city’s biggest artists and helped craft their solo or collaborative projects. And through his work with Uzi and other local artists, he has turned the once-regional Jersey club sound into one also helmed by Philly artists, and opened doors for emerging musical talents.

In the years of knowing Thomas, Def Jam signee Fridayy said Thomas has always made a way for Philly artists to flourish. “He’s definitely gone outside the box with a lot of records in Philly,” he said. But his work across different genres is what’s elevated Thomas’ profile.

Thomas, a New York native who moved to Philadelphia in 2009, attended Germantown Friends School and met now-mentor Brandon Jones, the school’s then assistant athletics director and varsity basketball coach.

When Thomas majored in business at Temple, it was Jones who convinced him to change course and pursue music full-time. “When you combine passion and work ethic with a skill set like [Thomas’], the result is what you see today,” Jones said.

After deferring a job offer from Deloitte, Thomas started a makeshift studio inside the basement of his mom’s Mount Airy home. This is where artist Chill Moody began working with Thomas.

Never taking up that Deloitte offer, Thomas met Lil Uzi Vert through their manager and became his dedicated sound engineer for three and a half years.

He recently branched out to pursue audio mixing and songwriting, which has led to collaborations with the likes of Justin Bieber, Bryson Tiller, Jazmine Sullivan, and Meek Mill. Or in other words, “the stuff that’s getting the national attention, like the big stuff,” as Moody puts it.

For Thomas, “It’s just me planting a lot of seeds.” He likes to think he is just “doing me, and that some of the stuff I’m doing is winning. But I also don’t want to be complacent. It’s important to get on the new wave as it changes.”

When DJ Don Cannon met Thomas through Uzi, he was immediately struck by how Thomas studied the business and evolved as an audio engineer. “He was never late and his ear was always tuned for today’s work. It’s something a lot of people would look past,” the Generation Now label cofounder said. “And unlike most engineers and producers, Thomas didn’t smoke or drink; ... [he] used to watch Jeopardy! in his free time.”

“This new phase of Philadelphia music has been brewing since 2015 or 2016,” said Armani White, who shot to fame with his viral hit “Billie Eilish.” “We’ve all been around each other, and in some way crossed paths, and [Thomas] has been in those rooms with a lot of different names.”

As Thomas continues to perfect his craft and pursue songwriting ventures, he wants to put the same energy toward community service and engagement, especially for young students of color. Along with opening the doors of his Kensington recording studio to local artists, Thomas mentors young residents who are a part of GettingtheMAXoutoflife, a community-based program ran by life coach and motivational speaker Maxwell Brown.

“I think he has qualities that will make him one of the greatest producer-engineers of all time across all genres,” Moody proclaimed.

And while Thomas is happy to receive the recognition, and he’s hopeful Uzi’s name gets called on Grammy night, awards are not a source of motivation for him; it’s community itself. “It’s not a one-person show over here,” he said. “There’s a lot of support that allows me to shine, and I’m very thankful for everybody.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Review: Travis Scott shakes the rafters at Wells Fargo Center

In a sold-out Wells Fargo Center, rap star Travis Scott “shook the rafters” on Sunday night, declaring the crowd one of the best he’s faced on his “Utopia — Circus Maximus Tour.”

“Not going to lie, y’all coming for the top-three spot tonight, Philly,” he said.

Backed by pulsating lights and stimulating visuals that flashed across the stadium’s LED screen, the Houston artist’s high-flying antics and crowd-stirring anthems brought fans to their feet as they celebrated the return of “La Flame.”

The tour is Scott’s first since 2021′s Astroworld Festival, where 10 people died in a crowd crush. And it’s been four years since he topped the Made In America festival bill in 2019. But even after the hiatus, Scott hasn’t lost his connection with Philly fans or his flair for high-powered performance.

Before Scott arrived on stage, fans stood on their feet while some watched the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys on their cell phones. But once the fog machined hissed and the arena lights flickered, the “E-A-G-L-E-S” chants from the crowd turned to roars as Scott leaped onto the stage like a WWE wrestler off the top rope.

He glided across the ends of the stage equipped with floating heads or parasails that rose above the 360-degree platform. Scott’s mystifying howls took the crowd on what felt like a musical voyage to outer Earth without a seat belt.

Scott started with the Utopia opener “Hyaena” and shifted to other records from the Grammy-nominated project, including “Thank God” and the Teezo Touchdown-assisted “Modern Jam.”

The rapper-turned-global-star then played favorites from early projects like 2014′s Days Before Rodeo (“Mamacita”) and Rodeo (”90210″) before bringing Philly’s own Lil Uzi Vert to the stage for their Pink Tape collab “Aye.”

While most of Scott’s performance was like a shockwave of visual and musical stimulation, the audio sounded muffled at distinct spots. It was hard to make out lyrics, and the charged momentum dipped whenever Scott picked fans from the crowd to ride the floating parasails.

While it was certainly a moment to remember for the fans, it didn’t add much to the show or aid Scott’s performance — not that he needed it. He, alone, made the show electric.

After Scott wrapped up headbangers like “3500″ and “A-Team,” things got a lot weirder when he played “Circus Maximus,” with three people dressed in ape costumes walking across the stage as Scott roared from its peak.

The second half of the show started slower than the hyper-speed pace of the first. But once Scott got going with “Meltdown” and “Topia Twins,” the concert kicked back into full gear. Scott went full supernova on “Fe!n,” playing the song five times in a row, as fans demanded one encore after another.

Scott continued to tip the arena’s sonic scales with 2018′s “Sicko Mode,” and wrapped up the hour and 45-minute performance with “Telekinesis” as a camera followed him off the stage.

By this time, Philly had slid into his list of best tour stops. “Y’all definitely in that top three spot,” Scott yelled.

Travis Scott Set List, Wells Fargo Center, Dec. 10, 2023

“Hyaena”

“Thank God”

“Modern Jam” (with Teezo Touchdown)

“Aye” (with Lil Uzi Vert)

“sdp interlude”

“3500″

“A-Team”

“Sirens”

“Praise God” (by Kanye West)

“God’s Country”

“My Eyes”

“Butterfly Effect”

“Highest in the Room”

“Mamacita”

“Circus Maximus”

“Delresto (Echoes)”

“Lose”

“Mafia”

“I Know?”

“90210″

“Meltdown”

“Topia Twins”

“No Bystanders”

“Fe!n”

“Sicko Mode”

“Goosebumps”

“Telekinesis”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia’s Black Cowboys honor a fallen, four-legged figure

Every time he marched across Fletcher Street stables, the strapping frame and cappuccino-colored mane of the American Quarter Horse drew the attention of Philadelphia’s Black cowboys and cowgirls.

His name was Streakin’ E Class. The quiet equine had a grandeur and presence that matched that of partner and former owner Eric “E” Miller, founder of the Philadelphia Urban Riding Academy.

Miller purchased his four-legged friend from the New Holland Horse Auction in 2017, nicknaming him “Chuck” in honor of a childhood best friend who passed.

On Sunday, Chuck died at age 29. His passing was felt across Philly’s horse-riding community, with several Instagram users commenting Monday on PURA’s announcement. “Rest well Big Chuck,” one user wrote. “I’m glad I gave you extra treats last night.”

“Everyone that visited the barn loved him because he was just so pretty, and he was just the man,” said PURA executive director Erin Brown, who goes by the moniker Concrete Cowgirl. “People adored him. He was just so beautiful and strong-looking, and even the other cowboys noticed he had this presence just like [Miller].”

Chuck was one of several horses Miller owned but wasthe first he bought after his release from prison in 2017. Miller’s interest in horses was rooted in his childhood. His father, who went by Butch, owned a stable in North Philadelphia.

In January 2019, Miller founded PURA, and the nonprofit became an outgrowth of the Fletcher Street barn, where Miller kept his horses and employed locals to care for them. His vision was to teach horsemanship to riders young and old and to preserve the history of Philly’s urban cowboys, bringing their stories to the general public.

His work led to the making of the Netflix film Concrete Cowboy, released in 2021, which starred actors Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, and Jharrel Jerome. Brown said Miller was “the voice behind the movie and script.” But a month before filming began in North Philadelphia, Miller was shot and killed inside his Roxborough home.

Brown, who met Miller as a teenager at Fletcher Street, was determined to fulfill Miller’s vision for the movie and to care for Chuck. “I just knew [Miller] would haunt me if I didn’t,” she joked. “I knew how important it was to him.”

Brown said that Chuck was Miller’s “baby boy” and that he never missed an opportunity to brag about his dashing looks.

After Miller’s death, Brown took up the executive director role at PURA and ownership of Chuck. Recently, the horse’s health began to worsen. “It was best to let him go out like a G,” she said. “You could tell he was really tired.”

The long-time horse rider gifted braided pieces of Chuck’s mane to Miller’s four children. It’s a custom among cowboys and their fallen horses, and Brown felt it was the best way to honor Chuck’s legacy and the bond he and Miller shared. “I knew he was special to [Miller],” she said.

Miller’s daughter, Emani, said Chuck was like an older brother.

Chuck even joined Emani during her prom send-off last spring. The horse’s shoulders were adorned with images of him and her father, bringing the teenager to tears. “I couldn’t believe the amount of joy I felt,” Emani said. “It just made the presence of my father feel so real.”

Looking back at photos of her and Chuck, Emani said that she is saddened at Chuck’s death but that knowing he and Miller are now “reunited in heaven” has brought her a sense of solace.

“I know how much my dad loved his horse,” she said. “It felt so good to receive a piece of Chuck’s mane, and I was able to have a piece of him I will forever hold near [and dear] to my heart.”

Brown didn’t ride Chuck much but on commercial sets, he was the “grumpy old man” she entrusted for the job. He even appeared in Concrete Cowboy alongside Elba.

With support from Philadelphia and Councilmember Curtis Jones, PURA is set to open a new stable in Cobbs Creek next spring. The roughly $1.2 million project will convert an existing structure into a climate-controlled barn, Brown said, and Chuck was to be the first horse to walk through its doors.

Jones said the project will not only provide added resources for PURA, which currently boards its horses at the Dream Park in Logan Township, Gloucester County, but it will pass the “the baton” for future cowboys of color and protect the history of Philly’s urban cowboys.

“If this city were left to its own devices, it would totally erase the rights of cowboys out of its city limits,” he said. “Brown is not only fighting for the rights of the cowboy of color ... assuring there will be riders in upcoming generations.”

Brown said that a plaque honoring Milller and Chuck — and stories of them together — will be placed along the stable’s walls.

Philly’s Illharmonic Orchestra is a house party in a concert hall

Like many Black teens in the 1980s, Philadelphia native Jeffrey McNeill was obsessed with hip-hop music and culture. He wrote his first rhyme at 8 years old, and at 12, he mixed the Beastie Boys’ “Paul Revere” and Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony to craft his first beat.

Years later, Coolio’s 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise” gave McNeill artistic purpose. The song, built from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise,” landed the late West Coast rapper a Grammy for best rap solo performance and led McNeill to the harmonious blend of hip-hop and orchestral music.

As Coolio, backed by an orchestra, hit the 1996 Grammy stage, McNeill watched in awe. “I pointed to the TV, thinking, ‘That’s it. That’s the idea, and that’s what I want to do,’” he said. “I knew it could work.”

The future MC looked to meld the powers of rap and traditional orchestration and play it in concert halls worldwide. And with the Illharmonic Orchestra, he did just that.

By the late 1990s, McNeill was recording and making music, but he wasn’t performing as regularly as he wanted. That changed when he began dating his wife and musical collaborator, Andrea, in 2000.

On their first date, McNeill took Andrea to see Mary J. Blige in Atlantic City and the two connected through their love of hip-hop, jazz, soul, and classical music. The two music lovers eventually joined hands on stage; She started out as McNeill’s hype woman, then became the group’s lead vocalist soon after.

Going by the stage names “Thee Phantom” and “The Phoenix,” McNeill and his wife perform classic hip-hop records that are woven together by a DJ and rotating ensemble comprised of trumpeters, cellists pianists, violinists, and other instrumentalists — mostly of color.

“It’s like a house party in a concert hall,” McNeill said, with audiences dancing through aisles as the duo play their orchestral renditions of songs like the Notorious B.I.G.’s “Big Poppa,” Eric B and Rakim’s “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” and other beloved hip-hop records.

“Hip-hop is an amalgamation of jazz, soul, breakbeats, and disco,” Andrea said. “But it also has instrumentation, and we’re putting a face to that. You’ve heard it on the radio or wax, but you haven’t necessarily made a connection to that sound in a Rakim song as a standing bass, or the piano in ‘The Bridge Is Over.’ It opens up the mind in another way.”

As many opportunities opened up for the orchestra, there was just as many “nos,” Andrea said.

“A lot of places were afraid of hip-hop,” she said. “Hip-hop is quintessentially Black, and bringing hip-hop into a classical space made people very uncomfortable.”

There was skepticism from the classical and hip-hop community. It was, as Jeffrey McNeill said, “draining” to continue spending their own money to rent venues and produce shows. “It was really tough to get booked on our own,” he said.

The couple was on the verge of disbanding, but in 2015, things began to change. That year, the orchestra was tapped to play at Carnegie Hall. McNeill brought a 25-piece ensemble to play at the famed concert hall, becoming only the third hip-hop artist to headline a show at the New York venue.

After Carnegie Hall, the orchestra continued to perform across the country, and even sold out the Kennedy Center in 2017. To date, the couple have had over 200 musicians take part in their touring orchestra.

Phill Charles, who joined the orchestra as a DJ in 2010, said Illharmonic looks to change the audience’s perception of hip-hop performances. “The orchestra is vast, diverse, and talented,” said Charles, who performs as DJ Philly C. “You can count on them at any time in any city. There are no wild cards because they have performed with us, been vetted, and they fit together like Legos.”

For Kelly Lee, chief cultural officer for the City of Philadelphia, the orchestra is a great representative of Philly, and she’s happy to see the ensemble receive its just recognition. “The Illharmonic Orchestra blends two iconic parts of Philly music culture into one genre-bending art form that makes hip-hop more accessible to orchestra lovers, orchestra music more accessible to hip-hop lovers, and lovers of both,” she said.

Philadelphia writer and DJ John Morrison, currently working on a documentary about the group, said what Illharmonic has done over the years is “mind-blowing.” “Working on this film has been eye-opening,” he said. “I’ve been able to go to a few of the orchestra’s performances, and seeing the reaction from the crowds has been powerful to witness. I didn’t get a full picture before we started the process, but watching the audience respond has opened my mind.”

“It’s not a gimmick for us,” Charles said. “This is not like a thing that we’re just doing because it’s in vogue right now. This is what we’ve always done.” Although other hip-hop orchestras have surfaced in recent years, the Illharmonic ensemble is the first of its kind.

The couple want to extend the Illharmonic legacy in a way that makes a community impact. With the documentary and continued performances, they want to inspire more instrumentalists of color to pursue their musical ambitions.

“Representation means something; it’s important on all levels,” Andrea said. “One of the things that gives me the greatest joy is being in a room full of gifted musicians, and we’ll continue to move with a certain level of intention.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Meet the Philly artist who counts Shaq, Kevin Hart, and Brooke Shields among his fans

Long before the work of Justin Wadlington was placed in world-renowned gallery spaces, and he had Shaquille O’Neal, Brooke Shields, Kevin Hart, and other celebrities on his client list, the Philadelphia-bred artist learned to master another medium: the art of perseverance.

By 2009, Wadlington was worn by the grind of his 9-5 airline job, and it had been five years since he picked up a pencil and sketchpad. But a trip to Cancun reignited his artistic flame. Inside his job’s break room, he began sketching an image of a figure enjoying a beachfront, with a photograph of himself in the Mexican city as a guide.

His coworkers glanced at his work and were in awe of his abilities. That was enough for Wadlington to renew his pursuit of making it as an artist. “I made a promise to myself: get back into this and see what you can do with it. And ever since then, I kept trying to push the limits.”

As a kid, Wadlington submitted sketches of X-men characters to his school’s drawing competition. His high school teachers were some of the first to spot his artistic talents, and they placed his work in the building’s auditorium for a mini art show. “Back then, I knew I could draw, but I didn’t think it was special,” Wadlington said. “I just knew I could draw cartoons, but I never knew it was something beyond a hobby. I didn’t look at it as a passion, but it was.”

Growing up in Southwest Philly, survival was his main focus. His artistic pursuits fell to the background.

At 5, he accidentally ran into a piece of metal sticking out from a wall, and the devastating blow left him blind in his left eye. Wadlington’s mother struggled with mental illness and was later murdered in 2004. His father, a Vietnam War veteran, died by suicide when Wadlington was 2 years old. His grandmother raised him, but when she could no longer care for him, he was in and out of group homes until he was old enough to live on his own.

He enrolled in the Community College of Philadelphia in 2001 but dropped out after one semester. “Nobody was around as successful artists, so I felt like I had to get a job,” he said. “I looked around, but I knew Disney wasn’t going to hire me.” He worked up to two jobs a week to make ends meet, and over time, the desire to become a sought-after painter disappeared.

That moment in the American Airlines break room led him back to his creative path. Wadlington, inspired by England-based hyperrealist artist Kelvin Okafor, began sharing his detailed drawings of hip-hop artists and cultural figures on social media. Soon, he would put down the drawing stencil for a painting brush.

He was “self-conscious” about his left eye for a while, but the 40-year-old artist says it’s become one of his “strengths.”

“When I was younger, sometimes people would make fun of [my eye], and I used to feel some type of way about it,” he said. “But once I got older, started taking life into my own hands, and embracing the negativity, I began to show it more. I no longer hid it behind sunglasses.”

He took on the moniker Blind Eye Artist as a “reminder that I’m embracing something I was once ashamed of.”

As he refined his style on canvas — detailed images of pop culture icons, athletes, and artists against a Renaissance-style backdrop — Wadlington began gifting his work to high-profile entertainers, including Amber Rose, Joe Budden, and others. In 2017, one of his friends said they could get him in touch with Kevin Hart, so the artist worked on a portrait of the comedian for weeks, and was able to send him a large-scale painting.

Struck by the detail of Wadlington’s work, Hart posted the portrait on his Instagram. “Your talent in your craft is ridiculous man. I’m humbled by your gesture. ...This is the true definition of a #DopePic,” his caption read.

The post caught the attention of Shaquille O’Neal, who asked Wadlington to draw a portrait of him. In February 2018, the artist flew out to Los Angeles to hand the 7-foot NBA Hall of Famer the portrait, and another painting that paid tribute to the late Notorious B.I.G. Impressed by Wadlington’s talents, Shaq introduced him to New York-based art investor Glenn Fuhrman.

“I got the sense pretty quickly that he was a pretty special guy and definitely different and also a super talented artist,” Fuhrman said, “and that was really the beginning of a great relationship.” He and Wadlington quickly formed a mentor and mentee relationship.

With Fuhrman’s guidance, Wadlington began showcasing his abstract paintings in New York gallery spaces, schools, and museums, including the New York Academy of Art and the South Hampton Art Center in Long Island. His life and artistic journey soon struck Philly filmmakers Ashwin Chaudhary and Jonathon Korn of Juice Groove Films.

The two filmmakers wanted to make a short film around the Philly-based artist, but, Chaudhary said, the film quickly turned into a full-length feature. “He was larger than life when I first met him,” Chaudhary said. “Off the bat, his journey and how he got to where he is was just so compelling.”

The documentary, titled Blind Eye Artist, was primarily filmed between 2020 and 2022 and captured Wadlington’s roots in Southwest Philly. The film was released on Amazon Prime in October. “To witness the power of his art in transforming his life, it’s a story that will motivate anyone who wants to accomplish anything in a creative medium of any kind,” Korn said.

In the years he’s been in the art world, Fuhrman said many have fallen to their vices and life traumas. Wadlington, he said, could have easily fallen in the same trap. But because of his hard work and dedication to the craft, he’s never let it happen. “He’s got a great combination of talent, passion, and belief in himself that I think the sky’s the limit for him,” Fuhrman said. “I think he can go very, very far on this path that he’s taking.”

While he’s still carving his path, Wadlington said he wants to continue expanding as an artist and push the boundaries on all creative levels.

“I want to do impossible stuff, and I want people to see that they can do impossible stuff, too, regardless of where they come from or if they’re blind in one eye,” he said. “This is bigger than me, and I’d be doing people a disservice if I stopped going.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Nothing To F With: How 'Enter The Wu-Tang' Established One Of The Greatest Rap Groups Of All Time

In the early 1990s, hip-hop was on the verge of being its broadest. 

Hip-hop had grown far beyond its origins in the Bronx, as acts like Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul drew listeners outside New York’s five boroughs. Elsewhere, a legion of MCs from L.A., the Bay, and the South were cementing their legacies. 

Amidst the plethora of sonic riches of hip-hop's golden age, Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan stands out. Comprised of lyrical spartans GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Masta Killah, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, later Cappadonna, U-God, master producer RZA, and the late, charismatic force Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the group laid the ground for hardcore hip-hop acts to follow. 

Their weapon of choice: 1993’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) — which celebrates 30 years on Nov. 9. Enter The Wu-Tang sparked a new brand of hardcore, gritty street rap that transported listeners with its dark sonic landscape. 

Filled with martial arts and comic book references, loogie-spitting posse cuts, and mystifying street tales, Enter The Wu-Tang drew audiences to the borough of "Shaolin." The album's darkly-brewed beats and mixes had an amateurish charm, but all nine tracks were laced with RZA’s early musical wizardry and ear for ominous, hard-hitting instrumentals. 

For every musical or budgetary limitation, Enter The Wu-Tang boasted some of the best lyrical assaults the genre has ever heard. Now-classic songs like "Da Mystery of Chessboxin’" and "Protect Ya Neck" and conjured visions of the Shaolin streets, and added to New York’s stronghold on the genre. 

Unlike the more socially conscious and jazz-influenced sounds of New York rap at the time, the influential album was marked with soundbites from kung-fu flicks and sped up soul samples with an eerie, grudgeful echoe. Among the gallery of inspiring cuts, "C.R.E.A.M. (Cash Rules Everything Around Me)" features a sample of the Charmels’ 1967 song "As Long As I’ve Got You." 

Despite the group’s size, every member had a stand out moment on the project. And most, with the exception of Masta Killa, have several. Method Man goes full nuclear on his self-titled track, Raekwon and Ghostface show early flashes of their collaborative magic on "Can It All Be So Simple," and the infectious charm of Ol' Dirty Bastard runs wild on "Protect Ya Neck." 

The album was off-kilter in design, but Wu-Tang carved a path for hard-edged acts to follow. The album even inspired New York instrumental soul group El Michels Affair, which released their own version of the album, Enter The 37th Chamber, in 2007 in echo of the legendary beats sampled on Wu-Tang's the classic project. 

Since its release, Enter The Wu-Tang has sold more than 3 million records and landed on countless all-time best album rankings. As of June 2023, the album is at the No. 27 spot on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Of All Time list. For its relatively short length, Wu-Tang Clan's debut has had an outsized impact on hip-hop — both in terms of influence and the trajectory of its members. 

With Enter The Wu-Tang and their subsequent releases, Wu-Tang cornered the rap market in the 1990s. Before Wu-Tang, there were no other notable rap acts from Staten Island. While Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx held most of the industry’s grip, Wu-Tang helped blaze the path for acts outside of those regions to flourish. 

While groups like Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, N.W.A. and Run-D.M.C. are certainly influential, the star power within Wu-Tang is unique. Between the group’s debut and follow-up album Wu-Tang Forever — which was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1998 GRAMMYs — GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Ol' Dirty Bastard, and others released critically acclaimed solo albums.

Method Man even received a Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group GRAMMY for Tical’s "I'll Be There For You/You're All I Need To Get By" at the 1995 GRAMMYs. Outside the accolades, Raekwon’s Only Built For Cuban Links and Ghostface’s Ironman lit up the New York streets in 1995, and GZA’s Liquid Swords remains one of the more acclaimed outings from the group’s more withdrawn characters.

While some were more commercially successful than others, they all added to the group's influence and arguably proved its distinction for best rap group of all time. 

Method and New Jersey legend Redman brought their comedic chops to the big screen in How High. The pairing was like a hip-hop Cheech and Chong, and the film went on to become a cult weed movie classic. Like Meth, RZA and other members appeared in TV shows and films for decades. 

In 1995, Wu-Tang Clan established the apparel brand Wu Wear, one of the first artist-inspired lines in music history. It opened the doors for hip-hop culture in retail, and inspired a global interest in Wu-Tang's simple, raw style. The group and the apparel line helped usher in the militant street style of the era, complete with baggy jeans, oversized t-shirts, Timberland boots, durags, gold fronts, sports jerseys, and puff jackets. 

As the group grew in popularity, the members joined forces with business partner Oliver "Power" Grant and opened four Wu Wear stores across the country, including one on Victory Boulevard in Staten Island. The line was carried by retail giants such as Macy’s and renamed Wu-Tang Brand in 2008, and Grant discontinued the Wu-Wear line. But after RZA joined hands with Live Nation Merchandise, the brand was relaunched in 2017. 

The cult interest in Wu-Tang's image continued. In 1999, Powers developed a video game centered on the group, called Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style. The 3D fighting game for PlayStation featured characters based on the group members’ stage personas and mirrored the martial arts themes in their music. They also provided voiceover work and music contributions to the four-player game. 

Other artists followed Wu-Tang's blueprint in the decades since the group debuted. Acts like Mobb Deep, Nas, the Notorious B.I.G. and others adopted the hardcore rap style mastered by Wu-Tang — but none harnessed the same manpower or presence as the group over the decades. But the 2010s saw the re-emergence of rap supergroups. 

In Harlem, the Diplomats and ASAP Mob captured the same collaborative and entrepreneurial spirit of Wu-Tang, but with a more varied musical approach. Out West, the Tyler, The Creator-led Odd Future surpassed the 11-member group in scale, but their work and impact haven’t matched that of the Staten Island collective. 

The closest to mirror Wu-Tang was Pro Era, which adopted the classic, boom-bap sound of the '90s. The mega group also pursued an assortment of branding and entertainment ventures, and one of the group’s founders, Joey Bada$$, even played Inspectah Deck in the Hulu biographical series "Wu-Tang: An American Saga." The group’s presence also inspired future Staten Island products like Killarmy, G4 Boyz, and Cleotrapa.

Given the group’s accolades and cultural impact in the decades since their debut, it’s true: "Wu-Tang Clan ain’t nothing to f— with." Its members have redefined longevity in rap by continuing to have a hand on the pulse of popular culture, both in music, film, TV, and entertainment. Few other groups have matched their successes, and as the collective continues to etch its path, there’s no telling how many more barriers they will break. 

At night, he’s laying down verses. By day, rapper Anthony ‘Dappa’ Samuels runs a day care in West Philly

Electrifying performances, late-night studio sessions, and endless tour stops: The lifestyle is second nature to Philly rapper Anthony “Dappa” Samuels, whose connections and lyrical prowess have landed him on stages with some of the biggest names in the industry.

Equipped with punchy lyrics and a charisma-fueled appeal, the 30-year-old has performed with the likes of Fabolous, Machine Gun Kelly, Action Bronson, and Ty Dolla $ign. He’s collaborated with Westside Boogie, Stalley, Benny the Butcher, and other notable hip-hop stars.

But that’s only half his story.

Between the late nights in the studio and the days traveling from one tour stop to the next, Samuels happily embraces his role as “Mr. Anthony,” the owner of West Philly’s Young With Options Academic Center.

After quitting a job in accounting back in 2017, Samuels was encouraged by one of his mentors to pursue his love for child care and open the learning center. That year, he began operating out of a rowhouse at 53rd and Market Streets. “My overall vision was to have a creative arts program or creative art school,” he said. “That’s been a passion of mine for a long time, and we’ve been able to incorporate it here.”

The day care’s multicolor marquee hangs outside a powder blue rowhouse adorned with painted clouds. The space is a wonderland for young kids with bright eyes, endless energy, and an insatiable appetite for learning.

As Samuels walks through the day-care doors, kids look up from their cots with smiles as bright as the center’s crayon-colored walls. “Hey, Mr. Anthony,” they yell out in cheer.

Samuels and assistant director Dinnelle Jordan help organize poetry, music, and acting classes in the multi-floor space. Last month, they started a dance studio on the top floor, where they teach majorette, hip-hop, ballet, and other dance and exercise courses.

Most of the children hail from low-income families from West Philly.

Janelle Walls has been bringing her 7-year-old daughter to Young With Options since she was 1. Walls continues to send her child because of Samuels’ influence and willingness to support her family, even when she couldn’t afford the fees.

“One word I use when speaking about [Samuels] is ‘alignment,’” she said. “He isn’t at the school preaching positive behavior to the kids and then going into the studio and pushing a different message. Everything about him and what he does is consistent with the Young With Options brand. To me, it’s a message to kids that you can be yourself and still be successful.”

In the five years she’s worked with Samuels, Jordan said he’s been a consistent light of positivity. While other rappers dive into fast food chains and clothing lines on the side, his venture into child education speaks to his love for the youth, she said. “The fact [that] he helps other families go to work while looking after their children was a brilliant idea,” Jordan said. “It just goes to show how much he cares about his community.”

As a kid growing up in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philly, Samuels said he seldom saw Black men with legitimate businesses, especially those revolving around childcare. “I love being able to be there and be hands-on,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in that, and it actually helps me with music and in life. I know I have to be that mentor and can’t do anything illegal, snap out, or make bad decisions. I have to stay solid.”

Samuels said being a day-care owner has had an impact on his music. He’s made a conscious effort to veer away from lyrics heavily revolving around street life. He knows his students are listening to his music, and their parents are keeping a watchful eye.

“I’ve seen and been through a lot,” he said. “I’m from the same environment that the kids in my day-care are from. I was one of those little kids, too. That’s what I love about being here. A lot of these kids, especially the little boys here, look like me and act like I did at one point in time.”

Samuels performed at the 2023 Roots Picnic Music Festival and acted alongside Danielle Macdonald in the film Patti Cake$. He was a stand-in for Michael B. Jordan in 2015′s Creed.

Legendary Philly artist Freeway said Samuels’ rap skills alone were enough to connect the two artists. But after hearing about Young With Options and the rapper’s other endeavors, he knew Samuels was cut from a different cloth.

“He’s always trying to go to the next level and push the envelope,” the “What We Do” artist said. “I feel like he’s going to have a long career and branch off into movies and different things outside of music every once in a while.”

Samuels said he wants to continue expanding as an artist and entertainer. But in that pursuit, he plans to open more academic centers so more children have a place to hone their creative arts skills.

“It’s all about me making a difference,” Samuels said. “I’m really big on the people, so I’m working to get bigger and have more day cares in the future.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Essential Hip-Hop Releases From The 2010s: Ye, Cardi B, Kendrick Lamar & More

Few genres have evolved as remarkably as hip-hop over the past five decades, and the eerily recent, yet, distant 2010s saw the genre at its most progressive. Legendary acts and fresh-faced stars pushed rap’s cultural and musical bounds, opening a pathway for a new class of artists to emerge, and for overlooked regions to gain their deserved recognition. 

With the expansion of hip-hop’s mediasphere, artists that would’ve been confined by their locale crossed the invisible barriers of rap music to establish themselves as mainstream success. Canada-born stars PartyNextDoor, The Weeknd and Drake took over rap the same way the Brits took over rock music in the 1960s, and it was made possible by the boundless nature (and unprecedented sonic access) of today’s rap fan. 

The emergence of SoundCloud elevated lesser-known talents including Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, the late Juice Wrld to superstardom at a rapid pace. The era also marked a sonic turn in the industry, which saw artists merge their styles with those of other regions. That’s why artists like Asap Rocky adopted elements of Houston’s chopped-and-screwed sound in his early discography, despite his Harlem origins. 

Legacy acts like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, and Nicki Minaj continued their reign as rap heavyweights, with record sales and award wins showcasing their influence. The period also saw the emergence of hip-hop’s three horsemen – Drake, J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar – who carved their legacies with chart-topping hits and groundbreaking albums throughout the 2010s. Their contributions, as well as those from Future, Big Sean, Travis Scott, and Chance the Rapper, set the stage for the decade. 

Read on for 10 of the most consequential releases of the 2010s.

Ye - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010)

Just a year removed from interrupting Taylor Swift on stage during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, Kanye West, now known as Ye, produced arguably the best rap album of the decade, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. 

It was a career turn that’s more familiar to rap fans in recent years, but the Chicago rapper snapped back with a glossy, epic-level album that was a culmination of his best work to that point — or maybe ever. From "Dark Fantasy" to "So Appalled" and "Gorgeous," West was at the peak of his lyrical powers, with the rapper-producer exchanging sharp-tongued lyrics with wordsmiths like Pusha T, CyHi The Prynce and Raekwon.  

The album also set the stage for one of the best collaborations of the year, with West, Rihanna and Kid Cudi merging their creative powers to create the wondrously rhythmic, GRAMMY-winning hit, "All of The Lights. And Nicki Minaj fans still reference the star’s verse on "Monster," which saw the Jamaica Queens native rise above rap titans Jay-Z and Rick Ross on the smash-mouth track. 

Wiz Khalifa -"Black and Yellow" (2010)

After making his name in the mixtape circuit with classic projects Kush & Orange Juice and Flight School, Wiz Khalifa’s  mainstream breakthrough came in the form of 2010’s "Black and Yellow." The hit song bolstered the Pittsburgh rapper’s profile in time for his debut studio album, Rolling Papers, and put his hometown and Taylor Gang crew on the hip-hop map.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers making it to the Super Bowl in 2011, the Stargate-produced hit became the team’s unofficial anthem and spawned other remixes in the same vein. "Black & Yellow (G-Mix)" featuring Snoop Dogg, Juicy J, and T-Pain, Brooklyn rapper Fabolous honored the New York Yankees with "White and Navy" and Lil Wayne paid homage to the Green Bay Packers with  "Green and Yellow."

The success of "Black and Yellow" opened the doors for Khalifa and his stable of Taylor Gang talent to flourish, namely artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Chevy Woods, and Three 6 Mafia legend Juicy J. The song also placed a brighter spotlight on Rostrum Records and recent signee Mac Miller, who was months removed from releasing his acclaimed K.I.D.S. mixtape and would later become a star before his unexpected death in 2018. 

Chief Keef - "I Don’t Like" (2012)

The city of Chicago was set ablaze with the release of Chief Keef’s "I Don’t Like." The Young Chop-produced track popularized the city’s drill sound, which established a new influx of talent bred from the Windy City and a subgenre later adapted by UK and New York rappers like Fivio Foreign and the late Pop Smoke. 

The impact of the street hit led to its inclusion on the G.O.O.D. Music compilation project, Cruel Summer, featuring artists Pusha T, Kanye West, Big Sean, and Jadakiss. "I Don’t Like" was later placed on Keef’s debut release, Finally Rich, helping further catapult the Chicago artist to mainstream notoriety. The song is still credited as the launching pad for the drill movement, with Keef viewed as the forefather of the subgenre as a whole. 

Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D City (2012)

For many hip-hop fans, Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.A.A.D City reestablished the West Coast’s grip on the rap game, which for years, was singularly held by The Game. 

After the release of Lamar’s independent album Section.80, his second turn took more of a mainstream approach while chronicling his teenage years in the gang and crime-ridden streets of Compton. He enlisted artists like Drake for the flowy, Janet Jackson-sampling hit, "Poetic Justice," and drew in legends like Dr. Dre for "Compton" and Jay-Z for "Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe - Remix." 

The multi-platinum project was produced by Dj Dahi, Sounwave, Hit-Boy, Scoop DeVille, Just Blaze, and others, who delivered atmospheric and tight-bass beats for Lamar’s narrative-driven concept album to flourish. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City earned Lamar four GRAMMY nominations at the 2014 GRAMMY Awards, including Album Of The Year. And while he didn’t take a gramophone home during that night, his major label made him the face of West Coast rap for years to come. 

Future and Drake - What a Time to be Alive (2015)

After cranking out moderate hits like "Tony Montana" and "Never Satisfied," Drake and Future linked up for an Avengers-level collaboration, which culminated into 2015’s What a Time to be Alive. 

The project came together after Drake met with Future in Atlanta for six days. Their first recording was "Digital Dash," and from there, the two artists merged their respective sounds together for a hyper-trap mixtape filled with hits like "Jumpman" and "Big Rings." On the production side, What a Time to be Alive was largely handled by executive producer Metro Boomin, who produced or co-produced eight of the project’s 11 songs, alongside fellow beatmakers Noah "40" Shebib, Allen Ritter, Southside, Boi-1da, and others. 

The 2015 release also foreshadowed Future and Drake’s later collaborations. Future enlisted artists like fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug for Super Slimey and Lil Uzi Vert for Pluto x Baby Pluto, and Drake linked up with 21 Savage for 2022’s Her Loss.  

Rae Sremmurd - "Black Beatles" (2016)

After scoring hits like "No Flex Zone" and "No Type,"  brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi literally had the world in suspension with the 2016 hit "Black Beatles" featuring Gucci Mane.  The "SremmLife 2" single sparked the viral mannequin challenge, which saw social media users stand frozen in time as a camera filmed their surroundings with their song playing in the background.  

Internet trends aside, the song was a massive hit that landed the group and Gucci Mane their first No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. The Mike Will-produced track also pushed additional sales of the duo’s second album, which went from selling 30,000 equivalent units in the first week to eclipsing one million sales by November 2017. 

Jay-Z - 4:44 (2017)

With a resume as stacked as Jay-Z’s, his claim as the greatest MC of all time was viable long before the release of 4:44. But the late-career release did more than just add to his illustrious discography; it was one of the most complete and transparent bodies of work Hova has ever produced. 

On tracks like "Kill Jay-Z," the Brooklyn rapper stripped his ego-fueled moniker to give listeners a snapshot of his upbringing and past failures as Shawn Carter the man. He takes a step back to reflect on his mother’s sexuality on "Smile," and the challenges he faced in his marriage to Beyoncé on the title track. 

While many viewed 4:44 as a response to Bey's Lemonade album, the project also touched on the importance of shared success on "Legacy" and the push for generational wealth on "The Story of O.J." 4:44 garnered three nominations at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, including Song Of The Year and Album Of The Year. 

Migos - "Bad and Boujee" (2016)

During the 2017 Golden Globe Awards, rapper and Emmy-winning actor Donald Glover had a confession: Migos’ "Bad and Boujee" was the "best song ever." By then, the 2016 single was already a popular viral hit, with memes surrounding the lyrics "rain drop, drop top" bubbling up online. But Glover’s shoutout helped the G Koop and Metro Boomin-produced hit to reach the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, a first for the Georgia-born rap group and featured artist Lil Uzi Vert.

"Bad and Boujee" established the Migos as the hottest rap group of the era, and spearheaded each member’s solo projects and business ventures. The multi-platinum single was even nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 2018 GRAMMY Award. 

Drake - "God’s Plan" (2018)

With countless across the 2010s, it’s hard to choose which Drake record made the biggest splash during the era, but 2018’s "God’s Plan" has a case when it comes to global reach. Produced by Cardo, Young Exclusive, Boi-1da, and long-time collaborator Noah "40" Shebib, the GRAMMY-winning single topped the charts in 14 countries while posting record-setting streaming numbers.

Though the pop-trap hit was met with mixed reviews upon its release, "God’s Plan" shattered Apple Music and Spotify first-day streaming numbers with 14 million and 4.3 million, the most of any song that year on both platforms. By the first week, the song climbed to 82.4 million total streams. 

"God’s Plan" was the lead single for Drake’s EP Scary Hours and fifth studio album Scorpion, and notched the Toronto artist Best Rap Song at the 2019 GRAMMYs. The song’s music video, which showed the rapper giving out a million dollars to people in Florida, also made waves online, amassing countless social media memes and over 1.5 billion views on YouTube as of July 2023.

Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy (2018)

The story of Cardi B, who rose from reality TV star to GRAMMY-winning artist, proved there could be more than one Queen ruling over the rap game. And her groundbreaking debut, Invasion of Privacy, inspired a new legion of women artists with dreams of occupying their own respective thrones. 

With street anthems like "Bodak Yellow," "Bartier Cardi," and the reggaeton-inspired "I Like It" featuring J Balvin and Bad Bunny, Cardi showcased her knack for catchy hooks, sharp lyrics, and the colorful personality found beneath the brash, aggressive flow. Producers DJ Mustard, Allen Ritter, Benny Blanco, Boi-1da, and others elevated the project to album of the year consideration. 

Along with winning Rap Album Of The Year at the 2019 GRAMMYs, Invasion of Privacy took the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 upon its release, making Cardi only the fifth female rapper to reach the top of the charts at the time. Even in the years after its release, the album continues to make history for the "WAP" artist, who became the first woman to have all of her album’s songs reach platinum status when Invasion of Privacy reached the milestone in 2022, according to Billboard. 

– The Recording Academy/GRAMMY.com

Who is Keke Palmer’s boyfriend, and does he prove that men from Philly are ‘embarrassing’? We investigate.

If you’ve scoured the internet the past few days, you’ve likely seen the drama between Keke Palmer and her boyfriend Darius Jackson.

Jackson made headlines after he slammed the actress on Twitter for wearing a fitted outfit for an Usher concert in Las Vegas, where Palmer was seen being serenaded by the R&B star. Many Palmer fans claimed the comments were motivated by insecurity or jealousy. But a local TikToker has another theory.

On Thursday, Philly native Cierra Williams took to the video-sharing app, claiming Jackson’s “embarrassing” antics are because of his ties to Philly.

“That man is from Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania,” she said in the video, which has amassed nearly 500,000 views and over 90,000 likes.

“It’s nothing we can do but send Ms. Palmer some love, light, and prosperity because if there’s one thing a man from Philly is going to do, it’s be embarrassing. They can’t help it. They don’t got no impulse control.”

(While news outlets have reported that Jackson is from Philadelphia, The Inquirer wasn’t able to confirm that. His family does have close ties to the city and his social media is filled with displays of Phillies and Eagles fandom. The fitness instructor even has a tattoo of the Love sculpture!)Also worth noting: Jackson briefly deleted his instagram but has reinstated it, without pictures of Palmer, leaving their relationship status unclear.

The Inquirer spoke to Williams and asked if men from Philly (Jackson included) are really as bad as she claims. The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What’s your perspective on the drama between Palmer and her boyfriend Darius Jackson?

It’s just a control thing. If she’s the breadwinner and powerful one in the relationship, then he’s probably thinking, ‘Where does that leave me?’ I feel like that’s something men struggle with a lot times. Instead of bringing it up with her, he decided to tell us on Twitter like it was our business. And that was his first mistake.

But why drag Philly men into this? What makes them embarrassing?

I feel like it’s twofold. On one hand, their brains only have capacity for sports, like “Go Birds,” the Eagles, the Phillies, and the Sixers. That’s one part of it, and the other part is a lot of times they don’t have the space to be themselves. So, it just makes them very strange because they have a different persona than who they are.

Meek Mill is not a real person pic.twitter.com/UllzQiJ9fO

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) July 4, 2023

Who would you say is the perfect example of an embarrassing Philly man?

I feel like the main thing everyone needs to know is that Meek Mill took a picture with fries on his lap at the pool. I don’t know what else we need to talk about. He also posted a video of him [on Instagram] about to throw up in a toilet, and put the caption, ‘Too much liquor smh...’ with his hands crawling and grasping for life. There’s nothing else we need to discuss.

Why do you think people dragged Jackson’s tweets?

[Palmer] has always had a real positive image. She’s never really been in drama, so it was really weird that he would try to tarnish her image that she’s worked so hard to build. She’s been a child star and now an adult star, so trying to ruin that is insane.

Do you think Jackson tweeted that out to gain attention. Or, was he unsure how to address the situation?

It was that small percentage of the Philly in him that decided, ‘I’m not in a good mood, so you won’t be in a good mood.’ I think that was really it. I don’t think there was even that much of a thought process. I don’t think he’s that vindictive in that sense. I think he just woke up and wanted her to have a bad day because she was having fun with Usher.

What do Philly guys have to say about the theory that they are just embarrassing? One Philly-based male on Twitter put it best when retweeting Williams:

“That’s right Go Birds.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philly nightlife takes a hit as noise complaints force relocations, unexpected shutdowns

Philly nightlife is an ever-revolving door of happy hour hangs, lavish soirees, laid-back beer gardens, and weekend stay-puts. The city is also home to niche party cultures, intimate music venues, and stylish speakeasies.

Philly DJ David Pianka, better known as Dave P, believes these spaces make the city’s nightlife more vibrant than most. But in recent years, noise complaints have diminished much of its allure.

“Nightlife brings so much to cities, culturally and economically, and it needs to be prioritized more here in Philadelphia,” said Pianka, who founded the electronic music festival Making Time ∞. “So many other cities around the world celebrate and support nightlife and understand its value. Philadelphia needs to do the same.”

Noise complaints, Pianka said, have crippled many of Philly’s outdoor music experiences through the last few years. Fellow DJs and party promoters have been forced to relocate, or even cancel entire events, due to the stockpile of protests brought on by disgruntled residents and nearby establishments.

These complaints often come from neighborhoods with nightclubs and music venues, and newly constructed residential buildings. As, Pianka said, more people and businesses move into these neighborhoods, there is a growing divide between partygoers and residents looking for a quiet place to lay their head.

As new condominiums and high-end apartments are built, more buildings and residents are being squeezed closer together. The city’s growing infrastructure leaves little room for outdoor parties and events to happen without disturbing local residents.

On Memorial Day weekend, DJ Joshua Lang hosted a day party at Cherry Street Pier’s back garden. The event, on Saturday from 3 to 9 p.m., was “before the city’s ‘quiet hours,’ ” Lang said. He hired a sound engineer to monitor the volume, “to make sure it didn’t go over a certain decibel level — which we didn’t.”

The event was a success, Lang says, with over 5,000 people attending. He has hoped it would turn into a series, but in June he posted on Instagram that he would not be returning to the venue “due to neighbor’s complaints about sound.”

A representative from the Cherry Street Pier said they were not aware of any noise complaints, and that while the event was well received, it was only every planned as one-off.

In his Instagram story, Lang added: “it’s frustrating that we already don’t have many options in this city when it comes to venues.”

The city, “is in dire need of an event like this” Lang told the Inquirer. “Philadelphia is an amazing city and what’s happening right now is beautiful between different industries and scenes, but there’s just a ceiling here that seems to keep creatives at a certain level due to city restrictions.”

According to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, noise complaints are considered a health risk and commercial properties are prohibited from creating sounds that exceed five decibels above the “background level” at a property’s boundary line. The penalty for an initial violation is between $100 and $300, and the fee increases with subsequent violations.

Based on data from the department, there hasn’t been a dramatic rise in amplified music complaints in the past five years. But as of July 27, there were 10 amplified music complaints directed at Philly bars, restaurants, and nightlife spaces in 2023, which matches the total reported in all of 2022.

Pianka said it’s hard to blame a specific group for the noise complaints, but he said new developments are likely the cause of the issue. “The city needs to make culture and community more of a priority over development,” he said. “...[And] there needs to be more communication between nightlife promoters and city officials.”

“We need more venues, nightclubs, and diverse festivals. We need people who understand culture to be in these rooms where they’re making these decisions,” added Lang, who is also the music director for the W Hotel Philadelphia.

Disputes between residents, party promoters, and business owners in the Philly area are not new. Back in 2012, the New Tavern Bar Restaurant, then known as Watusi Pub II, drew complaints from West Philadelphians about the bar’s rowdy patrons and live music performances.

“I hear from people who have had bars in certain areas forever,” said Sara Walker, general manager of the Khyber Pass Pub. “And now that there’s some development next door, all of a sudden people are angry.” Walker, who recently revived Khyber’s live performance space after the longtime music venue was turned into a New Orleans-inspired eatery, believes that “in order for this city to be successful and have people come here to spend money, these [venues] need to be successful.”

She agrees that there are certain “nuisance bars,” but residents often blame establishments for little noise, or even rumblings generated outside their walls.

Public outcry has even forced outdoor restaurant and music venues to shut down operations.

In an Instagram post, Terra Philly announced on July 19 that it would shut down for the season due to increased noise complaints. “We worked both quickly and openly with both city and state officials to update our facility in a way that would allow us to continue operations. However, it seems a compromise could not be reached with our neighbors,” the post stated.

Health Department spokesperson James Garrow said a “warning letter” was issued to the Fishtown garden restaurant and outdoor music space after noise complaints were filed. The letter outlined the city’s noise and vibration law and noted a potential noncompliance fee of $300. But after an inspection was conducted on June 28, no violation was found, Garrow said. “Terra was not given a notice of violation or asked to close. If they have closed for the season, it was not due to Health Department action.”

Terra staff declined to make further statements, but confirmed there will be measurements in place to address the noise complaints ahead of the restaurant’s reopening next year.

Raheem Manning, the city’s first director of nighttime economy, said he doesn’t have economic data to illustrate how noise complaints affect nightlife revenue, and it’s not known if it does. But having met with nightlife mayors and directors in Austin, Pittsburgh, Amsterdam, and Berlin, he’s confident Philadelphia can be an international destination for its nightlife.

For Philly to contend with global nightlife destinations and minimize noise complaints, Manning, who was appointed nightlife mayor by Philadelphia’s Commerce Department in July 2022, said there needs to be a soundproofing fund, like in Berlin, which will shield venues from receiving noise complaints from new neighbors.

“An agent-of-change policy basically makes it so that whoever is new to the block is responsible for mitigating the sound,” Manning said. “If a club has been on the block for 20 years and a developer wants to build an apartment building across the street, it is on the developer to either soundproof the apartment building or they could soundproof the club, because the club was there first, the burden is not on the club.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Philly stylists look back at boldest (and tackiest) suits from the 2003 NBA Draft

A lot has changed in the NBA over the last two decades.

There’s no longer a team in Seattle, despite the outcry from grieving Supersonic fans. A generation of “big men” have morphed into position-less perimeter threats, and the Denver Nuggets are NBA champions for the first time in franchise history. Oh, and there’s a new all-time leading scorer in LeBron James, who passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record back in February.

In the past 20 years, records have been shattered, new superstars have emerged, and college prospects are landing million-dollar brand deals before stepping into an NBA arena. But the hype around the NBA draft has remained. And on Monday, it will be 20 years since James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade’s names were called on draft night.

The 2003 NBA Draft is considered one of the greatest draft classes in league history. Not only were there four future Hall of Famers picked in the first five slots, but All-Star players Chris Kaman, Josh Howard, David West, Kyle Korver, and Mo Williams were also among the crop. But for all its glory, fans are convinced the ‘03 class is the worst-dressed group ever seen on draft night.

From the mountainous shoulder pads, overly buttoned suit jackets, curtain-length pants, and bulky silhouettes, Philly style blogger Sabir Peele said that year’s draft reminds him of Sunday service in the 1990s.

“The suits looked okay, but they had 16 buttons and a regular shirt collar on their jacket,” Peele said. “It was like people were dressing for what their perceived size was or something their grandfather might have worn, but not for their actual body. I don’t know who let them walk out the door thinking this was hot.”

While some fashion choices appeared inexcusable, Peele said, there were other layers worth considering: Hip-hop had a big influence in fashion during that era, and the presence of social media was largely nonexistent at the time. Neither Facebook, Twitter or Instagram existed in 2003, which likely forced the incoming rookies to rely on family members or friends for guidance. The result: “Just some big a** clothes.”

“Some of it has future application, but in terms of the actual design and cyclical-ness of the fashion, I don’t think this is going to come back,” Peele said. “Back then, there was no silhouette or shape.”

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Wade said players like Allen Iverson influenced his decision on draft night. “At the time, hip-hop culture was baggy jeans, Sean John jeans, hats to the side — that was the Allen Iverson culture,” the former Miami Heat star said. “That’s where the NBA was when we first got in.”

Even No. 10 pick Jarvis Hayes, who Peele said was dressed like a Baptist deacon, regretted the size of his draft suit. “It was the baggy suit era,” he told Bleacher Report. “I got (my suit) from a close family friend out in Georgia. I doubt if they’re still in business now if they’re still making suits like that. You wouldn’t catch me dead in a suit that size.”

Philly stylist Wayne Glassman, who owns Wayne Edwards Workshop, said the relaxed tailoring of the early 2000s was vastly different from the stylings of today, which favor more cropped, form-fitting looks with softer, more complementary colors.

“The players were just following the trends at the time,” Glassman said. “They had wide lapels with lower gorges. The pants were high-waisted, which allowed for a lot of drape, and there was fullness throughout the entire silhouette. Compared to today’s silhouettes, the trim is so much nicer.”

Looking back, Glassman said it’s easy to laugh at the suits worn by James and Anthony, but he’s seen younger athletes like Trae Young make similarly head-scratching fashion choices for the draft. “When he got drafted, (Young) wore a suit with cropped pants I’m not sure came down below his knees,” Glassman said. “He had on leather shoes and no socks.”

Glassman said certain athletes dress on the “costumey” side, while others take calculated risks to stand out. Then there are players and ex-hoopers who completely abandon the rules of fashion, he said.

Trae Young and his younger brother, Timothy, sporting their matching suits! #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/t3xt0ccQVJ

— NBA (@NBA) June 21, 2018

“Guys like Reggie Miller are pretty dapper, but if you look at someone like Charles Barkley, apparently others don’t care,” Glassman said. “Even sports broadcasters like Jeff Van Gundy, his suits look terrible. It’s really up to these athletes to put in the effort.”

With the presence of social media, and the popularity of tunnel walk photo ops, Peele said more athletes are leveling up their fashion sense. Instead of hiding their physiques under oversized jackets and lengthy trousers, players are opting for more natural-fitting garments. Some still pull out traditional suits, but the “blazer 2.0″ has become a more popular choice, he said.

“More guys want to be known as the ‘well-dressed athlete,’” Peele said. “Some come out suited, but others don’t want to be buttoned up, so they’re not wearing ties anymore. They’re thinking, ‘How can I flex and show that I’m still put together.’ I feel like that has become the thing.”

Players are trading in classic suit pieces for tailored pants and trucker jackets, and exchanging neckties for flashy necklaces and diamond-studded pendants. And as cyclical as the fashion industry can be, Peele doesn’t see the parachute suit pants or six-button jackets making a return.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

New Balance Basketball Stars Tyrese Maxey, Zach LaVine, and Dejounte Murray Talk Street Ball Origins

From its inception to today’s game, generations of basketball stars have conjured their hoop dreams on neighborhood blacktops, rec center gym floors, and makeshift home courts. Others made their name in different sports before discovering their on-court talents during gritty pickup games and street ball tournaments.

Those moments on the hardwood or cement floors defined their future play styles. They learned how to flick their wrist on their jump shots; kiss the top of the backboard on reverse layups, dunk over contested hands, and meld their skills and passions together to create their legacy – the same tireless pursuit of perfection that  New Balance has applied to decades in the footwear game.

Since 1906, New Balance has focused on being makers rather than marketers. They’ve  prioritized craftsmanship and impact over hollow accolades and fleeting moments of recognition and engagement. With the quality of its products, materials and partnerships, the brand has established an independent voice in the conversation of sports and culture, while inspiring a growing community of patrons proudly donning the letter “N” on their kicks. 

From the playground to arenas, big-name talents like Tyrese Maxey, Zach LaVine and Dejounte Murray have been drawn to the New Balance brand and its connection to street basketball culture. These hoopers talked to Complex about their early experiences on their hometown courts and how those memories inspired their game and style today. 

Tyrese Maxey

Getty Images

Before Tyrese Maxey became a first-round draft pick, the Dallas native was outplaying hoopers his own age. He was running the baselines as early as 4 years old, and there wasn’t a place in the world with a ball and a hoop he didn’t want to showcase his basketball talents. “My father was a head boys’ basketball coach, and I would go to practice with him and play. If I couldn’t go with him, I would go to the park in my neighborhood and play or force my uncle to play with me,” he says. 

Under his father and uncle’s wing, he began learning the nuances of the game, and the two men shaped Maxey’s fast-paced and creative playmaking style and instilled his confidence off the court. That growing conviction allowed him to embrace the resistance of elevated competition, and it opened his mind to the benefits of street and recreational ball. “Pickup games and structure-free basketball teach you how to improvise and give you a better feel for the game,” Maxey says. “Pickup games bring out a different level of competition; guys are going at you, and they have much to prove.” 

Now, the 22-year-old scorer wants to give aspiring hoopers in Philly the same experience he had in his youth. By pouring into the city’s parks and recreational centers, he feels it will increase community engagement, round out young players’ games and inspire others to capture the grit and relentless attitude he adopted on Dallas’ outdoor courts. “It’s extremely important; it’s the blueprint of basketball; it connects you with the people from all walks of life within the basketball community,” the University of Kentucky product says. “It builds a different layer of toughness. I’ve recently started to connect with some of the public park leagues here in Philadelphia; I’m looking forward to working with them and seeing what I can do to help push and keep the culture moving forward.”

Dejounte Murray

Basketball always came easy to Dejounte Murray. He dropped 35 points in his first rec league game, and did so well, he was convinced the rims were too low. Fortunately, he was wrong, and that day foreshadowed his future career as a professional athlete. 

Like Maxey, the Seattle native’s coronation into the sport was through his uncles, who made a hoop out of laundry baskets to play basketball indoors. Outside the house, Murray says they played on two hoops with missing backboards, and he followed his uncles wherever else they spotted a suitable court and competition. “I played everywhere my uncles played, which was our house, school, churches, and local outside courts,” Murray says. 

By competing in outdoor pickup games and rec leagues, the former University of Washington star found his love for organized ball and street hoops, and recognized the need for both forums. Murray said it toughens the skin of players. “Streetball is so important because it allows you to fall in love with the game of basketball, hooping freely and competing harder than ever, so I definitely believe it’s really important and it produces the best hoopers,” he says.

Between pro ball and streetball, Murray almost prefers the freedom he felt on the playgrounds and rec gyms he played on as a kid. The 26-year-old defensive stopper says he’s excited to see the best streetballers between Seattle and Atlanta, and his plans to return to the blacktop might be in the cards this off-season. “Streetball is the real deal. I prefer that hoop more than anything, and the league is the league; [it] turned my dreams into reality, and [me] proudly representing my family,” he continues. “In the off-season, I’m training and playing with my teammates at our practice facility and even outside too. But sooner rather than later, I want to take my 5 and go play against some of the local best in Seattle and Atlanta.”

Zach LaVine

For player Zach LaVine, his early streetball days didn’t begin on an actual street. In fact, not even above ground. Instead of a nearby park, rec center, church or playground, his professional athlete aspirations first bloomed in the basement of his childhood home. Before the high-flying scorer was in Pre-K, his dad set up a hoop and backboard inside the underground space. 

From an early age, the two-guard was destined for a career in sports. His mom was a softball player in college and his dad played football professionally as a linebacker. But after trying his hand at different sports, basketball quickly rose up the leaderboard, and he traveled wherever his newfound passion took him. “I played everywhere, from local parks and rec centers to high school tournaments,” the two-time All Star says. “On weekends my mom, dad, and sister would drive around looking for different parks that had different nets and rim heights.”

As he traveled around and beyond the suburb of Renton, Washington, LaVine said the experiences sharpened his game and focus, and prepared him for the physicality he would later face in his college and pro career. “Whenever you’re a young athlete, it’s good to learn how to compete in a team sport; It teaches leadership, toughness, and sportsmanship,”“ he says.

LaVine said the playground and local rec centers are where the game feels the purist, so it’s no surprise most players cite their hometown courts as the place they found their passion for basketball. Some of his fondest memories were playing alongside his dad in pick up games, who would elevate over YMCA hoopers long before LaVine was posterizing power forwards and centers. Looking back, the former UCLA standout says those experiences are valuable for any young basketball player. There are people of all different sizes and various skills when playing pickup games. Not only did that enhance the versatility of my game, but it taught me always to stay ready,”LaVine says. 

– COMPLEX for New Balance

6lack Feels Good To Be Back In Motion

In the five years since his last album, 6lack has been on a voyage of rediscovery. While hits like “Ex Calling” and “Prblms” established his penchant for moody and atmospheric tales of heartbreak and loss over mid-tempo jams, the East Atlanta artist has taken on a new creative direction.

Veering from his grayscale vocals and mellow-tone raps, his new album, Since I Have a Lover, unlocks a chamber of new inspiration both musically and on his own personal journey.

“Time has been a little bit of a loop,” 6lack tells MTV News over Zoom. “It was a lot to learn. It was a lot to handle in my personal life. It was a lot to mature and grow from. And I think that the weight of having people waiting on you is something that you can't really ignore. It's not like it doesn't exist, so it feels great to have that weight off and to just be back in motion.”

On Since I Have a Lover, the airy vocals of the artist, born Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr., float over breezy, pop and acoustic-driven instrumentation on “Chasing Feeling” and “Wunna Dem,” and 6lack flirts with dance (“Temporary”) and wallows with Caribbean, beach-front tunes on “Decatur,” allowing his artistry to roam free.

“I think it's been super important to grow in between each project, and not even just musically, but personally,” he said, referencing the “moody” tenor of his 2016 debut, Free 6lack. “It felt like somebody trying to figure their way out of the situation, and East Atlanta Love Letter started to peek at where we could go with it within the realms of R&B. I think this album production-wise allowed me to express every feeling that I feel. Some days I might feel more pop or [alternative], and some days I might feel more traditional R&B or rap. It varies and it kind of plays to how relationships vary — everything isn't just one feeling or one color.”

The 19-track offering is an exercise of 6lack’s versatility. He melds inklings of his Atlanta trap roots with guitar-strumming and flowy tracks, all revolving around themes of self-healing (“Spirited Away”), positivity, and the mystifying powers of love on “Preach” and “SIHAL.”

For 6lack, this new direction was a “gradual blossom.” While there were cookie crumbs on 2020’s 6pc Hot EP that pointed to this more immersive effort, the Baltimore-born artist said the new album’s title, partly inspired by his relationship with R&B singer Quin, helped spark a new flame. It also drove him to create an open letter to his fans, which he hopes answer the questions that have loomed in his musical absence.

“I feel like the title more than anything it’s a response,” 6lack said. “It kind of serves to answer every question. Like, ‘Where have you been? What have you been doing? What's the theme? What's been inspiring you the most? Why haven't you been outside?’ Any question that you could possibly ask me, I think ties back to the title Since I Have a Lover. Having to be accountable for yourself is one thing, but having somebody next to you who can really look at you and see you for what you do right and what you don't do right and tell you just a hundred percent straight up, that helped me really hone in on where I wanted to be in my personal life and where I wanted to be creatively. It was like, ‘OK, I got to get my shit together. And once my shit is together in my personal life, then I know that will help inspire what I make music-wise.’”

But the shift was no easy feat. To embrace his new sound, he had to let go of the sorrow, regret, and heartache he internalized for Free 6lack and his romantic skepticism and stories of failed love quests that bled into his second effort. Once those thoughts were steered, once he focused on the treasures of his newfound relationship, and once he waived his past transgressions and mental blocks, 6lack sank into a new music-making paradigm, and the album poured out and turned into sonic gold. On “Spirited Away,” he says: “You know I got my vices, on the real / No, I ain't always nice, but I’m always real / It’s gonna take me some time to break off my pride / But I’m learning to show up, learning to slow up.”

“The process was only hard when I was resistant to change and to acknowledge that my life is different now,” he said, referencing how he’s stopped letting others’ perception define his personal and artistic growth. “I’m not sulking, I’m not depressed, and I’m not going through what I went through in 2016. If you even try to start a song that way, you might as well stop because that's just not it. And if you continue, that's what we call perpetrating, and I'm not here to portray anything for a specific award or category. I just want to make what's true to me.”

6lack’s sonic transformation was one he felt both he and his fans needed. In a world where negativity draws headlines and tilts the algorithm on its scale, the 30-year-old artist said it’s his responsibility to share notes of positivity. And on Since I Have a Lover, he never falls short of his mission.

On “Preach,” he raps: “Who am I to capitalize without giving back? / We all human but I can’t go a day not feeling Black / I made my money, but to my audience, I’m still attached / It’s like I know the whole world just wants that feeling back.”

“I think that the toxic theme has been populated and I think that it is honestly a lot easier to pull from depression, from heartbreak and breakups. And to me, that's easy,” he said. “It's harder to talk about good things. It's harder to make that translate or resonate with people. It is harder to make that sound cool. The world is only getting crazier, so if I can be at least a portion of the good that's coming out, then that's my job.”

His exploration doesn’t end with SIHAL. Along with feeding his current inspirations, the “Float” artist plans to collaborate with Quin, the very lover that inspired the new album title, and possibly lock in with Spillage Village group-mate JID for an upcoming collab project.

“I'm just going with the process, but I hope it continues to be something different,” he said. “I don't ever want to make the same album twice. I don't want to be in the same bag twice. I'm not telling the same story twice. There will never be a Free 6lack 2 unless I end up in a situation that puts me there, and let’s hope I don’t have to because that’s not what we’re looking forward to at all.”

– MTV News

Breaking barriers and opening doors: Philly artists are finding new spaces to showcase their creations

Few spaces are as essential to Philly arts as the city’s history-rich museums and art galleries. The institutions house some of the most prized artifacts and antiquities in the country, and serve as a domain for unknown artists to become international fixtures.

But for Lauren Fiasconaro and other Philly-based creatives, the barrier to entry is often too steep, forcing many artists to turn to local cafés, restaurants, bars, and other alternative spaces to showcase their artwork.

“This is definitely something that’s been cropping up more and more,” said Fiasconaro, 30, who’s currently displaying her cyanotype photography at Northern Liberties’ Mammoth Coffee. “More than half of my ideas came from seeing artwork in places that I wasn’t expecting, and there’s some amazing work in places and venues you wouldn’t expect.”

Philly sculptor Jonathan Santoro, 39, said local artists have taken matters into their own hands.

“Groups of artists are growing tired of white cube galleries and rejecting the status quo while being intentionally anti-commercial,” he said. “More artists are taking the reins and displaying their artwork how they want.”

Rather than wait for spots to open at established art institutions, artist Sue Moerder began hosting small showcases in hair salons, restaurants, bars, and even pet shops under the group philacitywithart. She started the 500-member Facebook page to forge more opportunities for local artists to display and sell their work without having to jump through hoops to get into galleries and museums.

Moerder, who makes sculptures from animal skulls, said the city is flooded with local talent, but the exclusivity of certain spaces has led many artists to seek other ways to sell their work and make ends meet.

“Galleries are great, but they’re very hard to get into,” Moerder, 62, said. “I think one of the harsh realities of being an artist in Philadelphia is that many people can’t survive solely doing their art. Most have to work to support it, which is a shame because there are too many talented artists. And when you’re exhausted and you’re mentally drained, it’s hard to create. It’s frustrating.”

Recognizing the shortage of accessible art spaces, Gleaner’s Cafe owner Stephen Hencheck fills the shop’s walls with the work of local artists as a way to spotlight the city’s talent and build the confidence of newer creatives hesitant to display their designs.

With the cafe’s name partially inspired by Jean-François Millet’s painting The Gleaners, Hencheck said the decision to add these works was an important one. Not only has the move drawn more eyes to local artwork, it’s helped struggling artists fully profit from their creations, rather than fight for higher commission splits in more traditional spaces.

Hencheck allows creatives to fully profit from their work, while more notable galleries have commission splits that teeter between 30% and 50%, he said.

“We just try to keep a starving artist from starving so we can look at their work,” Hencheck, 44, said.

“If your business is your community, you should make it your business to support that community. That doesn’t apply to everyone, and it doesn’t have to. If creativity and culture are what you believe your base is and what makes the neighborhood your business is in, why wouldn’t you try to support that?”

Through partnerships with nearby galleries, the Fitler Club is combining the influence and resources of established spaces to fuel its own alternative venue.

The urban social club has Philly-made pieces throughout its center, a move Visual Arts Director Tricia Maloney said has connected the club’s members to the city’s creative forces, and given more local artists a platform to spread their wings.

“Our hope is that there may be a lower barrier to entry to engage with the art in a place like the Fitler Club,” Maloney, 41, said. “It’s not a gallery — we tried to take that intimidation factor out of the equation, even to the extent that I coordinate the program and I don’t have an arts background. It’s really about relationship building.”

Fitler Club cofounder Michael Forman said the addition of alternative art spaces doesn’t diminish the importance of established art institutions in Philly. It’s an added way to support local creatives and place a brighter spotlight on the work they produce.

Along with the Gleaner’s Cafe and Fitler Club, Fiasconaro said venues and organizations like Persimmon Coffee, Underground Concepts, and Feminist Flea are opening doors for artists in the LGBTQ and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, as well as others that have been marginalized by their race, ethnicity, sexuality, and identity.

Having these spaces, Fiasconaro said, is key to a more inclusive and well-rounded arts scene.

“Historically, gallery spaces are and can be very inaccessible for a lot of people,” she said. “I have definitely encountered that as well. But I’m seeing more inclusivity in this trend of alternative spaces, which is amazing. It’s been a long time coming.”

Fiasconaro is hopeful more opportunities for artists of all creeds will open up in museums and galleries. And as Philly creatives continue to carve out nontraditional platforms, the artists and businesses receive the support they deserve.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer