Disruption—it seems like The Clipse want to disrupt the status quo. The brothers from VA beach have restored the feeling in an industry and art form that at times seemed to have lost it’s way. Let God Sort Em Out is the long awaited return for the rap duo of brothers Gene “Malice” and Terrence “Pusha T” Thornton. The production on the album is done by none other than Pharrell Williams. This marks the first album featuring the three in 16 years.
Read MoreDREAMVILLE FEST 2025 | Dorthea Dix Park, Raleigh, NC /
Five years…that’s how long multi-platinum selling artist Jermaine “J. Cole” Cole and his Dreamville imprint organized one of the largest live music festivals in the country. Not only that, but they did it in one of the most unsuspecting places—Raleigh, North Carolina. The Raleigh metro area, also known as “The Triangle”, is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. Still, it isn’t exactly on the map in terms of entertainment and culture especially in terms of Hip-Hop and R&B. Despite this, a reported 104,000 people were in attendance for the fifth & final Dreamville festival.
Read MoreThe LOX | 30th Anniversary Tour | The Underground, Charlotte, NC /
Hip-Hop is over 50 and for 30 of those years Jason "Jadakiss" Phillips, David "Styles P" Styles, and Sean "Sheek Louch" Jacobs have been the voice of the streets knows as The LOX. Hailing from Yonkers, NY, the trio has solidified themselves as Rap music’s most thorough and loyal group.
Read MoreJoyner Lucas | The Not Now I’m Busy Tour | The Ritz, Raleigh, NC /
Joyner is a absolutely one of the most creative artists in the game right now and this show is a testament to it. Joyner is one of the few artists in this era that produces a record with an engaging, thought provoking, heart-pulling visual to accompany it. It’s no surprise that he can integrate that into his performance.
Read MoreMariah The Scientist | The To Be Eaten Alive Tour | The Ritz, Raleigh, NC /
Mariah the Scientist is back on the road following the release of her third studio album “To Be Eaten Alive”. The show opened with Chxrry22, a young R&B songstress from Toronto, followed by a well-mixed set by the DJ to soothe the anxious crowd until Mariah arrived. While fans were rightfully losing patience, all it took was Mariah's soft vocals and mesmerizing smile to dismiss the wait from memory.
Read MoreMaxwell | The NIGHTS Trilogy Tour | The Crown Coliseum Complex, Fayetteville, NC /
R&B/Neo-Soul Icon, Maxwell, is on the final leg of his acclaimed “NIGHTS” tour but it’s certainly not curtains for him. The tour is an ode to his seemingly timeless career which started some 27 years ago with his prolific and genre-defining first album, “Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite”.
Read MoreLarry June | The Market Run Tour | The Ritz, Raleigh, NC /
Credit: Ramel Bocker / Mel Shooter Media
Read the full review on Music, Why Not!
To make an on the nose car reference, Larry June is truly in his own lane. I can’t think of any artist in this era who does what he does. One word to explain his sound—vibes. Larry makes music for long evening car rides or the after-work Friday drive ready for the weekend. There’s a certain elegance and regality to his records. He brags but in a way that doesn’t alienate the fans. In fact, he does the opposite—he relates.
[Written for Music, Why Not!]
NLE Choppa |The NLE Tour | The Underground, Charlotte, NC /
Credit: Ramel Bocker / Mel Shooter Media
[Written for Music, Why Not!]
Smaller venues may pale in comparison to the grandiosity of a stadium or arena, but it makes up for that with the intimate proximity with the artist. The Underground definitely provides that intimacy. The photo pit occupied a 3ft wide trench between the stage and the crowd. I shared that space with three other photographers and security…fun. The crowd was a mixed bag. It was mainly teens hugging the barricade with the age level rising further back.
Read the full review on Music, Why Not!
Teddy Swims @The Lincoln Theater (The Tough Love Tour) /
I had never heard of Teddy Swims but I was intrigued by his appearance. I went into this show with no reservations and no points of reference. The openers, a group called Fly By Midnight, set the tone for the evening. They had the crowd rocking well before Teddy hit the stage near the end of their set to perform the group’s song “Lovely”. Teddy’s appearance matched his electric energy. As my first introduction to him this insured me I was in for a great show.
Teddy flowed almost seamlessly through his first three records and immediately wooed the crowd by the time the catchy and up-tempo “Broke” was performed. His charm, charisma, and stage presence gives him this ability completely enamor the crowd. He was a full-on Rockstar on stage. His confidence and authenticity aligned with the vulnerability displayed in his records like the self-aware “My Bad” and the reflective post breakup song “Love for a Minute”.
PTSD, a new single, was the best song he performed. It was raw and accurate recount of the near-crippling response to trauma and its effects on relationships that I know far too well. Again, Teddy excels in the realm of vulnerability.
Teddy’s clear influence of Hip-Hop, R&B/Soul, Blues, Rock, and Pop allows him to reach a very diverse audience. I don’t think there’s any real way to put him in a box. He’s able to fuse genres and put out great and relatable music. He just got a new fan.
[Written for Music, Why Not?]