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The annual South By Southwest event in Austin, Texas has become the epicenter of technology, film and music, helping spark the careers of musicians, filmmakers and app developers from Twitter to Storify. While the event has grown from its grass-roots beginnings to a world-class, multimedia extravaganza, there still is plenty of room for up-and-coming creatives to showcase their talents.
This year, the music portion of the nearly month-long festival6666 takes place from March 14th through the 19th, and will consist of a nearly endless amount of panels, seminars, showcases and concert events — official and unofficial.
I last traveled deep in the heart of Texas back in 2011, and while there, enjoyed the chance to see some of New York’s hometown underground and indie heroes out of their comfort zone, hitting up stages in front of new audiences on their way to the next levels of their respective careers.
A young, pre-Kemba YC The Cynic. A pre-Stones Throw Homeboy Sandman. One of Brooklyn’s finest, Skyzoo. And many others, including an off-the-walls (and literally, hanging from the rafters) performance by a largely unknown, currently Billboard-charting Machine Gun Kelly.
SXSW can be overwhelmingly chaotic, with activities left and right for days on end, into the wee hours, filled with music, free food and energy drinks, partying and politicking. Yet, through all the madness, the city teems with a love for music and entertainment that is exhilarating as it is exhausting.
This year, I’ll be heading back to Austin, to cover the festivities, and as always, our interest revolves largely around New York hip-hop artists, and how well they entertain the welcoming Austin crowds.
To help others who are coming to the festival, we’ve put together a rundown of New York-area artists who will be in town, giving a bit of background and highlighting where you can catch them at official SXSW performances.
This preview isn’t complete — we know from past experience that things can change, and artists and shows are being added all the time, including the officially-frowned-upon-but-still-numerous “unofficial” happenings. Still, we’re highlighting most of the notable artists on the official lineup, and we’re going to try and keep this list updated as new information becomes available.
Since the hip-hop world is all abuzz over the apparent “resurgence” of New York hip-hop, we believe interest in our area’s artists will be high, and we are happy to provide this guide to help direct folks who want to find out what all the buzz is really about.
Got something to add? Hit us up!
The A$AP Mob, led by A$AP Rocky and A$AP Ferg, has spawned several other talents from the collective, including A$AP Ant, A$AP Nast, A$AP Twelvyy and A$AP Bernie. (OK, just kidding about that last one.) When it comes to Twelvyy though, 2016 was his self-proclaimed “last year being broke,” so his performances in ’17 should be money. Or should we say, $hould be money. Yes. Yes we $hould. He has been on the come up, and while we’re not exactly sure where Twelvyy will be performing exactly yet (the SXSW site isn’t saying yet) we’re pretty interested in catching him rock. Perhaps some of the other Harlem mobsters will be too. Stay tuned, we’ll update with details once we know more.
Hip-hop and soul rock. This dynamic fusion band, fronted by former Rawkus-50 MC, Silent Knight, merges together genres, styles and energies into one powerful musical force. With The Line Up — an almost-7-years-and-counting NYC residency — and three successful Kickstarter campaigns under their belt, this tight-knit crew has truly harnessed the power of a modern DIY movement, cultivating an exponentially growing, loyal fanbase along the way. Their efforts reached new heights with the recording a soon-to-be-released live album during NYC’s CMJ festival, along with a full concert film to match, showcasing the depth of their abilities and the dedication of their fans. One of our top picks for the festival, The Band Called FUSE will be rocking out at Scratchouse on Thursday, March 16.
The son of iconic Puerto Rican hip-hop hero, Big Pun, Chris Rivers has been making a name for himself with a powerful flow that, while reminiscent of his late father, stands on its own. Forceful, linguistically complex, rapid-fire… You like rappity ass rapping rappers? Catch Chris Rivers at the Monster Energy Outbreak House on Wednesday, March 15 along with Cipha Sounds, Statik Selektah and Young M.A., among others.
From satellite to FM radio to clubs worldwide, Cipha Sounds has done it all, and done it well. This good-natured DJ also has the comedy game on smash, having launched a weekly show in New York City called Take It Personal, merging the worlds of hip-hop and improv comedy. He’ll be holding down the decks for a set at the Monster Outbreak House on Wednesday, March 15, along with other NY hip-hop heads on the bill including DJ/producer Statik Selektah, Chris Rivers (son of the late Big Pun) and buzzing upstart Young M.A. Oh, and if you see him, thank him for discovering Rihanna one time why don’tcha!
While the rest of the hip-hop loving public has been led to believe that New York’s hip-hop dominance is a thing of the past, real heads know that NYC never stopped being the most progressive place on the planet for hip-hop music and culture. Ask those in the know over the past few years, and the Pro Era collective would undoubtedly have come up. The movement, led by the breakout success of Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$, spawned several other young, creative rappers and producers, not the least of which is CJ Fly. Often found moving on his own, CJ Fly has built his own formidable following, particularly after his 2016 Flytrap. As of right now, we’re not sure exactly where you can catch this Pro Era soldier at SXSW 2017, but if he’s on your list, keep an eye here or his SXSW artist page for the latest info.
Atlantic Records signee Dyme-A-Duzin has been making a name for himself on the festival circuit and through mixtape projects with high-powered collaborations for a few years, including the recent “That Chicken” remix featuring fellow Brooklynite, Fabolous. We’re waiting for the official itinerary to catch Dyme-A-Duzin’s return to SXSW, and we’ll pass it along as soon as we find out. Stay tuned to his SXSW artist page as well.
DJ Unknown preludes his name with “international” for good reason. Backing up artists and rocking for crowds across the country and the globe, DJ Unknown will be spinning at the Dirty Dog Bar on Thursday, March 16th (where you can also catch NY rap artist and radio personality Torae)
If there were a Mt. Rushmore of hip-hop, the legendary Grandmaster Flash would surely be one of the faces chiseled, cementing his status as pioneer of the genre and culture. An innovator of DJ techniques, Flash and his Furious Five were early trendsetters, efforts that were recently showcased in the Netflix series The Get Down which visualizes the birth and growth of early hip-hop culture. The great thing about hip-hop is that most of the architects are still around, and the opportunities abound to witness them in person. Grandmaster Flash will grace the SXSW festival with his presence closing out the night on the wheels of steel at Clive Bar on Wednesday, March 15.
The young prodigy who ushered in the Progressive Era of New York hip-hop has come a long way from the streets of Brooklyn where he crafted retro-flavored, lyrically-forward songs that caught the ear of many, from old-schoolers to new. A renowned mixtape, 1999, and a strong debut, B4DA$$ later, Joey Badass has shown versatility and the work ethic needed to keep afloat in an quickly-evolving, often finicky music business. His reach doesn’t only stay within hip-hop, having appeared on the FX TV series Mr. Robot, and in another example of his widespread appeal, Joey Badass is being featured as part of NPR’s official SXSW showcase, on Wednesday, March 15 at Stubbs.
With the rap world attention quickly coming back to New York City, it’s almost as if people think some kind of UFO filled with lyrical, gritty rap New York rap cats suddenly landed in the Boroughs uinleashing artists like Dave East, Young M.A., Don Q and others. Of course, those in the know, know that this is nothing new, and that New York hip-hop has BEEN keeping true to its gritty roots for a long time. Brooklyn’s Kris Kasanova fits this bill, having dropped underrated joints for years, without much support or fanfare from local radio, who have — sadly — only recently begun to jump on the NY rap revival bandwagon. Better late than never however, so here’s to hoping Kris Kasanova gets the attention he already should have had by now. For now, SXSW is a great platform for him to branch out. Catch him rocking on Wednesday, March 15 at 512 along with fellow New York MCs Dyme-A-Duzin, Frank McFly and Rah C, as well as Connecticut’s Oscar Black.
This guy. Puts in. WORK. Kosha Dillz is one of music’s most prolific DIYers, from busking to self-booking himself on stages throughout the country and the world to crashing and getting kicked out of Grammy weekend parties to selling merchandise to performing outside of OTHER performances to rocking at nearly every festival on the planet, the unapologetically Jewish Kosha Dillz has been a non-stop music-making-and-promoting machine for years. He’s now kicking off a 30-show headlining tour and stopping by long-time stomping grounds SXSW along the way. Catch this freestyle fanatical, multi-lingual MC at Scratchouse on Thursday, March 16 (along with The Band Called FUSE), early at the FLOODFest at Cedar St. Courtyard on Friday, March 17 and later Friday at SX Shabbat.
Kosha Dillz tells us:
I have been hitting SXSW since 2008. It changed my entire career, and I consider it necessary every year since that time. OY VEY SXSW will be in it’s 3rd year official this year, and I get to curate the most amazing lineups that reflect everything I am into. To provide NY acts like The Band Called Fuse on the same bill as other massive acts brings me ultimate joy. I also love going to a festival of 100,000 people where I have become a familiar face and friends with Nardwuar.
Nitty Scott is an MC. It used to be part of her name, but it is definitely a part of her appeal. She is a wordsmith, and a style shapeshifter, eager to dabble with new sounds, and new imagery, as she continues to craft her career. She’s been a bit of a nomad, but cut her teeth in the gritty New York underground, emerging to shine alongside fellow nextgen rap stars like Kendrick Lamar, Ab Soul, Joell Ortiz and Bodega Bamz. She’s had some setbacks, but she continues to experiment and innovate. If you’re like us, you’ll want to check Nitty Scott over at Trinity Hall at Old School on Friday, March 17.
Oshun is a Yoruba goddess of love, a river deity, who is traditionally revered as a harmonious, healing, loving force connecting water and living things, said to be beautiful and charasmatic and joyful and sensual. In that regard, there could perhaps be no better moniker for Niambi Sala and Thandiwe, two women who combine to form OSHUN, a duo with a neo-punk/hip-hop/soul vibe that radiates female empowerment and cultural pride through clever, stirring music and lyrics. Wide awoke, smart, progressive and musically memorable, OSHUN is one of our inspirational, creative favorites on the rise. Really looking forward to catching them at Russian House on Friday, March 17.
For those in the know, Sammus (representing upstate NY but recently hanging around Brooklyn) is one of the region’s most promising MCs, able to flex lyrical complexity along with star-quality charisma, all while mic-controlling and commanding the stage. Her music is as much commentary as it is entertainment, touching on subjects that many rappers are afraid to touch. It shouldn’t be long before this Cornell-educated producer/MC catches the attention of the multitude of rap fans constantly clamoring for music with depth, intelligence and flair. Sammus has all that and more, and we would highly suggest you swing by the Mazda Studio at Empire Control Room late on Wednesday, March 15, Valhalla on Thurday, March 16 or Cheer Up Charlies’ Inside on Friday, March 17 (along with fellow New Yorker, Latasha Alcindor).
Sammus tells us:
I’m looking forward to seeing some of my favorite artists perform live and meeting new people who are on the same wavelength. I never understood how “networking” worked, so a space like SXSW seemed very intimidating at first. But now I realize, it’s much more about having genuine interactions and conversations with people I never would have met otherwise. At SXSW in 2015 I connected with Sosa, the sound engineer who would later help me record my most recent EP and LP; at SXSW last year I was introduced to my friend Sadie Dupuis, with whom I’ve since collaborated and toured; last year I also had the chance to chop it up with Hannibal Buress who reached out to me to open for him when he later came to perform at Cornell.
In terms of what people should expect from me — I’m going to be performing a lot of cuts from my two most recent projects! I usually do a pretty even spread in terms of selecting songs from every part of my catalog, but I think this time I want to focus on perfecting the live version of every track on Pieces in Space. I think each song on that album deserves to be performed live at least once.
Shinobi Ninja blends explosive musicianship with forceful lyricism to form one of the hardest rocking rap/rock fusion bands we’ve ever seen. They’ve toured, they’ve released several notable projects, they’ve remained together at the core for years and they simply work their asses off, which all combine to musically smack the mess out of those who are lucky enough to see them rock. We’ll be looking forward to checking them at Flamingo Cantina on Tuesday, March 14th.
Despite the bandwagoning of New York hip-hop with names like Young M.A., Dave East and Remy Ma, those in the know, know that New York has been keeping the hip-hop flame lit for many years, when the attention of the industry was elsewhere. Yet, one of the reasons why the rap world is starting to pay attention to New York again, was the stunningly impresive Don’t Smoke Rock, a full-length collaboration between iconic producer Pete Rock and longtime independent MC, Smoke DZA. This Harlemite has been laying down gritty New York-styled raps for years, with collaborations with producers like Harry Fraud and fellow New York spitters like French Montana and Curren$y and buzzing upstarts like Big K.R.I.T. We’re waiting to hear where DZA will be rocking, so stay tuned!
Few in hip-hop have the track record that Statik Selektah has. As a producer, the Boston-bred, Statik Selektah has worked with nearly every top-tier “true school” spitter in the game, crafting boom-bap-influenced soundscapes for folks like Black Thought to Joey Badass to Action Bronson to Raekwon to Talib Kweli and dozens of other respected spitters. The DJ and radio host will be playing at the Monster Energy Outbreak House on Wednesday, March 15 along with other hip-hop heavyweights like Cipha Sounds, Chris Rivers and Young M.A.
Veteran Brooklyn MC/entrepreneur/Twitter-rabble-rouser Talib Kweli will bring his brand of thoughtful, intelligent, head-nodding hip-hop to SXSW for an appearance at Bangers on Friday, March 17. You can also catch him on a panel discussion, The Jazz of the Music Biz, on Wednesday, March 15 at 5 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center.
Thee Phantom & the Illharmonic Orchestra
This MC-slash-DJ-slash-full-fledged instrumental posse have combined to bring their energetic and lush musical take on hip-hop to storied stages across the globe, including New York’s iconic Carnegie Hall. No strangers to Texas, this ensemble sold out in Austin back September, and they’re back during SXSW for another emphatic performance, encapsulating the energy of “Rakim, Rachmaninov, Mozart and Mos Def” at The Bates Recital Hall at the University of Texas on Saturday, March 18th.
Torae has been a staple of the New York independent hip-hop scene for many years, solidly representing our region with a long track record of quality music, event hosting, and as host of The Tor Guide, on Sirius/XM satellite radio, mixing music talk and listener interaction covering all sorts of hip-hop issues. Though he shines alongside fellow Brooklynite Skyzoo as the collective Barrel Brothers, Torae more than holds his own on stage, and will be delivering his brand of artistry to SXSW at The Dirty Dog Bar on Thursday, March 16.
If there was one name from the New York rap scene last year that came out of everyone’s mouth, it was the fiery, ruggedly charasmatic Young M.A. Blowing up thanks to the co-signs of mega-stars like 50 Cent and Queen Beyonce, Young M.A.’s “Ooouuu” quickly rose to internet fame, and spilled over into radio, giving this young spittress an explosive entry into the current rap zeitgeist. With other fan favorites like “Summer Story,” freestyles like “Eat” and collaborations like “Thot,” her duo with Uncle Murda, Young M.A. has kept that hype burning. She’ll be taking her talents to Austin and lighting up SXSW at the Monster Energy Outbreak House on Wednesday, March 15 (along with Chris Rivers, Statik Selektah and Cipha Sounds) and The Gatsby on Thursday, March 16.
There is nothing to say here. Wu-Tang forever. Catch perhaps the greatest group in hip-hop history as they celebrate 20 years since their iconic Triumph album, on Tuesday, March 14 at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater.