A$AP Rocky’s Xfinity Mobile tour stop was a Hollywood-style production.

A$AP Rocky was always primed for stardom.

In his 2011 breakout “Peso,” the Harlem-bred rapper declared his love for Raf Simons and Rick Owens couture, but also flashed a sound that shed the regional barriers that once confined hip-hop artists.

The song’s Southern chopped-n-screwed coda over early cloud rap instrumentals, combined with the lo-fi distortion of Memphis’ underground ’90s sound, ushered a new wave of New York rap that favored nuance over boom-bap traditionalism.

Rocky also looked the part. His camera-ready smile, coated with polished gold grills, and his brash arrogance mirrored the likes of fellow Harlem rap legends Cam’ron and Mase.

That showmanship has remained unchanged, as was evident on Thursday night as the lights flickered around 9 p.m. inside Xfinity Mobile Arena on the Philadelphia stop of the “Don’t Be Dumb” tour. Fans jetted to their seats, pulling out their phones, and aiming it at the stage to anticipate Rocky’s arrival.

It was all a ruse. Rocky was never going to open his show on that stage.

Instead, he came down from a prop helicopter suspended in the middle of the arena, and landed on a makeshift helipad adorned with the Tim Burton-designed cover of his 2026 album, Don’t Be Dumb.

The mosh pit went into a tizzy as a crew of actors dressed in military gear stood as a barricade between Rocky and his fans at the arena’s center.

He kicked off the show with “Grim Freestyle” and “Highjack” in the crowd, then disappeared into an exit. He reappeared perched atop a platform hovering above the crowd, with a mic lodged inside a speakerphone, performing rave-fueled tracks like “Helicopter.”

He finally marched onto the stage, backed by his faux militia of ski masked guards, to perform “A$AP Forever” and “Stop Snitching,” before simmering things down with the slow jam, “Playa.”

During the slight break in the high-intense action, Rocky apologized for shoving one of his fans earlier in the pit.

“I got made mad because one of y’all was recording me, and I pushed you. My bad, little bro. You’re good,” he said.

Through the show, Rocky fully leaned into large-scale SWAT and military-themed theatrics, decked in all-black tactical wear, with zipper-lined cargo pants, an AWGE-branded puffer vest, and a ski mask. The stage’s LED screens acted as a live feed of his performance, and beaming search lights and chopping sound of helicopter blades added a menacing sense of being surveilled.

It’s a nod to the reality Rocky now faces.

His high-profile romance with Rihanna, Met Gala appearances, roles in blockbusters, and brushes with law enforcement have made his life a source of inescapable intrigue despite his attempts to maintain a veil of privacy.

To drive the point further home, he had banners that read “Big Brother is Always Watching” hanging from the stage’s wall.

Rocky is well-versed in the language of stardom, and the drawbacks that come with it, but he’s most comfortable when his artistry is at center. And Thursday’s show was a Hollywood-style production with Rocky in the director’s chair.

“I want to get to some turnt up s—. I love this energy. Philly, are y’all ready? Let’s start a riot,” Rocky ordered before performing “Riot (Rowdy Pipe’n).”

While most of his performance focused on Don’t Be Dumb, the setlist included some tracks from his 2011 mixtape, Live. Love. A$AP, and some more recent creative undertakings.

The crowd, largely comprising teenagers and mid-20-somethings, rapped along to “Trunk” and “STFU,” and swayed to the smoother R&B cuts like “Stay Here 4 Life.”

His two-hour set was a marathon of solo favorites like “Goldie,” “F—’ Problems," and “Praise the Lord (Da Shine),” but he also snuck in posse cuts from his Cozy Tapes days in 2016 and 2017. He dove into A$AP Mob collaborations like “Hella Hoes” and “Yamborghini High,” a song that was followed by a moment of silence to honor Rocky’s beloved friend A$AP Yams, who died from a drug overdose in 2015.

A$AP Twelvyy joined Rocky on stage soon after.

Don’t Be Dumb comes eight years after the lukewarm response to 2018’s Testing, and seven years since A$AP Rocky last hit the road on tour. His fans have often questioned if Rocky still had music in his sights.

Thursday night’s show proved that his artistic ambitions have gone nowhere, but only magnified.

He made the entire night look effortless, except for the noticeable moments when his temper flared when “American Sabotage” was prematurely cut short. While the brief audio issues frustrated Rocky, who’s headlining his first tour since 2019’s “Injured Generation” tour, it didn’t halt the momentum or action.

Before the night ended, Rocky left the crowd with a M. Night Shyamalan-style plot twist.

He seemingly “ended” the show with a message of wisdom for his fans.

“Don’t have unsafe sex. Don’t drink and drive, and don’t be dumb,” Rocky said before performing his newest title track, “Don’t Be Dumb.” Even adding a “I’ll be back soon, Philly. I promise. I ain’t talking out of my ass or gassing y’all. I want to thank y’all for supporting me.”

As fans began walking toward their exits, Rocky pulled off his last trick.

“Oh, y’all didn’t think I was done, did you?”

He performed “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2,” sealing the show and proving that this wasn’t his hallowed return to form. Because he had never left.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Review: J. Cole brings 'the Ville' to Xfinity Mobile Arena

What’s a “fall-off” exactly?

In the NBA, it’s when a player loses his burst or first-step. Eventually, the player’s statistics dip, injuries pile up, and the calls for retirement become unavoidable.

Rap superstar J. Cole, whose latest album is called The Fall-Off, loves the sport. His music is coded with basketball references, begging comparisons between an athlete’s dedication on the court to Cole’s in the studio. He, being a basketball player himself, understands how the game can force you to hang up your jersey, even when you feel there’s more to give.

The same rules don’t apply to the rap game, and Cole knows that. At 41, Cole made a brief pro basketball run in China in April, when most athletes his age have either retired or are in the twilight of their careers.

Sure, his new song claims “the fall-off is inevitable,” but unlike an aged NBA star, there’s nothing that points to Cole’s musical decline.

His first of two shows at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Monday night for “The Fall-Off World Tour” was enough proof.

Despite his initial claims that The Fall-Off would be his last studio album, the man isn’t showing signs of retiring. He’s relishing the moment, enjoying the ride he’s taken with his fans since 2007’s The Come Up, and occasionally taking personal detours along the way. And to his fans’ delight, he doesn’t let his foot off the gas.

Cole’s journey to the Xfinity Mobile Arena stage began amid the crowd. Dressed in an unassuming black sweatshirt, he appeared sitting in the stands, in the middle of an arena spotlight. . A video of him appeared on the stage’s LED screen; a title card identified Jermaine Lamarr Cole as the director of the show we were about to witness.

With “39 Intro” blaring in the arena, Cole walked through the crowd shaking hands with everyone in his path.

The battered Honda Civic that Cole has kept from his college days, and later drove across the country to promote The Fall-Off’s release, descended onto the stage.

From then on, Cole was in the driver’s seat.

With a replica of Fayetteville, N.C.’s historic Market House in the background, he transitioned to hard-hitting odes to his hometown.

When he performed “Two Six,” a reference to the 26th county in North Carolina where his city lies, the crowd swung their tour-branded towels in the air like fans at an NBA playoff game.

“We’re only a few songs in, and I can tell this [is] one of them ones,” Cole said less than 10 minutes into his setlist, before breaking into “Safety,” followed by a five-minute monologue about Disc 29, the first half of The Fall-Off.

These moments allowed Cole to delve deep into his creative choices and concepts, but it was at the expense of the show’s momentum. He halted tracks like “Life Sentence” to express how much he wants his fans’ marriages to succeed, all to little effect.

Those lengthy spiels aside, the sequencing of his songs provided a window into Cole’s mind. And with every changing record and shift in the emotional weight, the stage backdrop changed hues — from bright amber on “Two Six” to deep blues and violets on “Poor Thang.”

The smoke intensified as Cole bounced from 2014’s “A Tale of 2 Citiez” and “Fire Squad,” before pausing to ask the crowd for a quick favor. “Philly, I know y’all don’t play about your sports teams … Whether you’re from PA, Philly, or Jersey, can y’all pretend y’all from Fayetteville for this one song? Is that cool?”

It didn’t take much convincing.

He broke into “Old Dog,” and the crowd obliged – erupting as the booming record sprung into rotation.

As a note of thanks, Cole played a medley of one-off singles and collaborative hits, including “MIDDLE CHILD” and “a lot,” his Grammy-winning collab with 21 Savage.

He polled the audience to see which of his fans could spit his verse on Benny the Butcher’s “Johnny P’s Caddy,” and one lucky Altoona, Pa., native was handpicked to join him on stage.

Cole then moved to early mixtape favorites like “Lights Please” and “In the Mourning” before leaping to radio jams like “Work Out” and “Nobody’s Perfect,” all with seamless execution. .

The crowd rose to their feet for “Wet Dreamz” and hoisted their phone lights to “Love Yourz.”

Then, after singing “Power Trip” and “Planez,” Cole proceeded to spoil the show’s end.

“I can’t lie, I have two more songs left,” he declared. “The second is a selfish one. It’s for me.”

The first was “No Role Modelz,” a track accompanied with an AI video of Cole dressed as former President George W. Bush misstating a common proverb during his 2002 visit to a Nashville high school.

“Fool me once … shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again," Cole rapped, repeated the former president’s words. The obviously doctored video briefly amused the crowd (and Cole).

The final song of Cole’s performance was “Quik Stop.” Another personal detour, but a welcome one, no doubt.

“It’s not a hit record. So, if you want to leave to beat traffic, I get it,” he said. “I got to do this song.”

Fans barely budged as Cole closed the two-hour show with a record that encapsulates how one encounter with a fan reminded him of his musical existence.

That closing record was reflective of Cole’s delivery throughout the show.

He isn’t one for onstage theatrics, synchronized pyrotechnics, or elaborate LED graphics. It’s just him and a microphone, a direct exchange between him and his fans with a few monologues thrown into the mix.

As it stands, Cole hasn’t lost sight of that connection, and he certainly hasn’t lost his musical touch or command on stage.

There’s no “falling off” here, only falling forward. Cole is still commanding the rap game, as a great point guard controls the flow of offense.

And neither he nor his Honda Civic has met its last stop yet.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Kendrick Lamar, SZA go full speed at the Linc for the ‘Grand National Tour’

The victory lap continues for Kendrick Lamar. The Compton rap star has journeyed a path few have blazed in hip-hop history.

He sparred with global phenom Drake and came out with a slew of No. 1 hits, five Grammy wins in 2025, and a record-setting Super Bowl halftime performance that will be dissected by hip-hop scholars for years to come.

But Lamar’s behemoth, “Not Like Us,” is only a glimpse into his true musical powers.

Aside from his 22 Grammys and a Pulitzer, the 37-year-old artist has drawn tens of thousands of concertgoers for an already record-breaking stadium tour.

Lamar and R&B supernova SZA generated $9 million for the opening concert of their "Grand National Tour” last month in Minneapolis, making it the highest grossing hip-hop show in music history.

The tour’s momentum remained immaculate at Lincoln Financial Field for Lamar and SZA’s stop in Philly on Monday night.

DJ Mustard played classics like “Swag Surfin’” by Fast Life Yungstaz and “We Are Young” by fun. to open the show, as thousands of fans slowly trickled into the stadium.

As the stadium lights flickered, Lamar rose onto the stage. He kicked off the show inside his now-trademarked Buick GNX, rapping the GNX album opener “wacced out murals,” surrounded in smoke.

The show featured short skits of Lamar arguing with a lawyer-like disposition, mocking Drake’s recent attempts to take legal action following last year’s grudge match.

Even SZA, born Solána Rowe, gets in on the action. She’s seen correcting the off-camera lawyer’s pronunciation of her stage name in one video, then countering accusations that she has sought dysfunctional relationships for creative purposes.

That fiery intro set the tone for the show, which was adorned with hits from his platinum-selling GNX and SZA’s repackaged deluxe album, Lana.

Once Lamar closed out the first of eight acts with “tv off,” SZA rose to the stage with the same GNX, but perched on top of its moss-covered hood. While Lamar’s “squabble up” and “m.A.A.d city” reflected his rugged Compton roots, SZA basked in sultry tunes like “Love Galore” and “Broken Clocks” as a labyrinth of vines, praying mantises, butterflies, and other bugs flashed across the background screen.

The five-time Grammy winner was in full bloom, showcasing both her roaring vocals and sleek dance routines. While there were moments that seemed off pitch, she recovered as smoothly as her outfit changes.

Decked in knee pads and low-rise safari shorts, the “Scorcese Baby Daddy” singer serenaded the crowd with dazzling slow jams like “Kitchen” and hard-hitting tracks like “Low.” She took her bug fascination to new heights during “Garden (Say It Like Dat),” hopping on a giant mechanical ant she affectionately named “Anthony.”

Lamar’s performance remained sharp, calculated, and grounded. He attacked songs like “Like That” and the showstopper “Not Like Us” with unnerving intensity, while balancing the cunning bars with party records like “peekaboo” and SZA-assisted duets like “All the Stars.”

While the artistic contrasts between Lamar and SZA could alienate crowds, the pair found the perfect equilibrium throughout the nearly three-hour concert.

Lamar’s lyrical performance was impressive throughout the show, but moments like the Playboi Carti cover “Good Credit” and the sequencing of “Count Me Out” did stifle a bit of the momentum. But with over 50 songs shared between the two artists, most performed in full, there was bound to be a break in the action.

As the stadium tour journeys across North America and Europe, their Philly stop proved to be a balancing act with an Olympic-level landing. The concert was a melding of two performers, who are as electric together as they are on their own stages.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

5 Best Moments From Megan Thee Stallion’s Twerk-Fueled Lollapalooza 2024 Headlining Set

With Lollapalooza 2024 marking the final stop on the Hot Girl Summer tour, Megan Thee Stallion closed out the first day of the festival with an electrifying performance — and a timely message — on Thursday night (Aug. 1). 

After performing at Vice President Kamala Harris’ first presidential campaign rally in Atlanta earlier this week, Megan continued a stellar week by headlining Lollapalooza on Thursday night, three years after her first main stage appearance at the festival and a few weeks after replacing Tyler, The Creator at the top of the Lolla bill. The combination of political statements and twerk-ready hits made sense in the context of her high-wattage show, and went over well with festival-goers, who were equally in awe of her candid stances and catalog of rapid-fire records.

Decked out in a pink sequence jumpsuit and cowboy boots, Meg started her hour-long set with the venomous “Hiss” before transitioning to her more salacious club anthems. The rap star went on to play records like “Thot S**t” and “Megan Piano,” encouraging the crowd to join her as she twerked in the evening drizzle. And with a black towel in hand and a roaring crowd on its feet, she rolled through fan-favorite bangers like “WAP” and “Wanna Be.” “Tonight, I’m not giving y’all my lightest twerk,” she said. “I’m giving y’all my hardest twerk in the motherf–king rain, because I want the hotties to have a good-ass time.” 

Despite the weather and the wrapping-up of her summer tour, Meg made her return to Chicago worth fans’ while. She even brought a special hometown guest to the stage, and played a new viral hit in front of thousands.

Here are five of the best moments from the Meg Thee Stallion’s headlining Lollapalooza performance. 

The ‘Hotties for Harris’ Campaign

Days after her campaign rally appearance, the “Houston Hottie” paused her Lolla show to double down on her support of the presumptive Democratic nominee. “Let me pop my s**t real quick, because [people] were fake mad that I was popping it for Kamala,” Megan said to the crowd at Grant Park’s T-Mobile stage. “I don’t think they heard what she said. Kamala said she wants a ceasefire. Kamala said she supports women’s rights. And she said she’s tired of those high-ass gas prices … It’s ‘Hotties for Harris,’ goddammit!” There were no audible rejections from the audience — the campaign is in full effect. 

The Twerk Encouragement

It isn’t enough for Megan to simply twerk on her own — she’s a masterful hype woman who encourages her backup dancers to shine during brief intermissions in her set. She even had one of her dancers shine with a solo moment while she performed “Gift & A Curse.” The same courtesy was given to the crowd, as fans broke out into twerk circles and hyped each other up from across the park.

The Newest Hit

In short time, Megan has established herself as one of the biggest rappers in hip-hop, as her catalog of trap-infused hits, sharp-tongued diss records and femme-powered jams have elevated her to superstardom. The international appeal of the viral hit “Mamushi,” featuring Tokyo’s Yuki Chiba and given a TikTok dance, has broadened her horizons as well, and went off like a firecracker during her Thursday night set. But overall, her Lallapooloza performance was evidence of her ascension and rightful place as a headliner. 

The Special Guest

While GloRilla was sadly absent from Meg’s Lollapalooza performance after a rumored appearance, the Houston-born rapper invited a familiar face for Chicago sports fans to the stage. The special guest was WNBA all-star forward Angel Reese, who danced with Megan as she rapped “Where Them Girls At.” The Chicago Sky star mostly stood toward the back half of the stage, but she and Meg shared several videos and hugs during the must-see moment. 

The Day-One Hotties

After playing songs from her recent album Megan and Traumazine, Megan traveled back in time, and fully morphed into her alter ego Tina Snow, for stomping hits like “Hot Girl” and night club anthems like “Big Ole Freak.” And while her newly initiated hotties were welcomed with open arms, Megan acknowledged the festival-goers who supported her as she ascended the rap music ladder. 

– Billboard

5 Best Moments From Chappell Roan’s Jam-Packed Set at Lollapalooza 2024

Even with the unforgiving heat looming over the crowd during the opening afternoon at Lollapalooza 2024, seemingly every fan in attendance left their pockets of summer shade on Thursday (Aug. 1) for a clear view of Chappell Roan’s entrance. The vertically challenged climbed their partners’ shoulders; others slipped through gaps in the tightly packed parkway in Chicago’s Grant Park. 

As the clock struck 5 p.m., the exploding pop star rose onto the T-Mobile Stage, and was welcomed with cheers that stretched across the southern section of Grant Park. Roan came out to the anthem “Femininomenon” while dressed in a cotton-candy-colored outfit with a luchador-style mask covering her face, but once she dove into dance-pop tunes like “Naked in Manhattan” and “Red Wine Supernova,” she unveiled the face that has quickly become a mainstream fixture, and let her fiery amber hair loose. She swooned the crowd with her theatrical moves and striking vocal runs, as flashing lights and fireworks helped turn Lollapalooza into a 1980s-style music video. 

Roan’s command of an audience as large as Lolla’s shouldn’t be a surprise. The self-proclaimed “Midwest Princess” has sprinkled her musical fairy dust across continental lines on her global tour, and her enchanting stage presence was on full display during the opening day of the festival. Roan transitioned from sultry tunes like “After Midnight” to campy dance jams like “Good Luck, Babe!,” giving license to sequenced fist pumps, dance moves and percussive chants among the crowd. “Thank you for having me Lolla!” she screamed — although on Thursday afternoon, Lolla was no doubt thankful to have the ascendant star on its main stage.

Here are five of the best moments from Roan’s Lollapalooza set. 

The Slower Moments

While the sonic potpourri of Roan’s 2000s-inspired pop records garnered the biggest receptions at Lollapalooza, Roan fell to her knees to deliver tales of past hookups on “Casual” and the emotionally rich heartbreaker “Subway.” These setlist entries brought balance to Roan’s high-powered performance, which prompted shared hugs and kisses among festival-goers. 

The Vocal Shapeshifting

Roan has amassed a sprawling fan base for several reasons, but those not paying close attention may not expect the breadth of her vocal ability. At Lollapalooza, Roan continued to prove she’s a musical acrobat who can seamlessly leap from whimsical pop tunes to roaring ballads on a dime. Her vocal power allows for such versatility — and part of the fun of attending a Chappell Roan show is watching the audience try to match it, howling and bellowing in charming attempts to match her flowing harmonics.  

The Outfit

Roan, whose aesthetic is often influenced by glittery drag style, chose to go with a (relatively) muted outfit choice at Lollapalooza: the artist dressed in a wrestling-inspired short-sleeved bodysuit, with colors bursting in blue and pink highlights, lots of fringe and a silver star belt. Despite the 90-degree heat, she sported a luchador mask — but only for a few minutes. Once she settled on stage, Roan turned to the crowd to let her strawberry-colored hair and silver face paint grace the sun. 

The Welcomed Theatrics

Long before she rose to pop stardom, Roan was a theater kid whose Hollywood dreams first bloomed in her hometown of Springfield, Mo. Her Lollapalooza set was full of flashes of her dramatic training, as she twirled on stage, belted out ballads with Broadway fervor and often grabbed her chest to further emphasize the emotional notes. Then she made a full split halfway through her set, leading to some of the loudest audience roars of the day.

The Global Fandom

While she’s crowned the “Midwest Princess,” Chappell Roan’s fandom stretches far and wide, beyond the confines of Lollapalooza. Festival-goers ventured from around the world to attend Chicago’s annual music festival, and shots of the crowd size started going viral before the set had concluded. Roan’s mountainous vocals and crowd-pleasing tunes forged one of the better performances on day one, and with her global success in full bloom, it’s safe to say Roan has graduated from “Midwest Princess” to international star.

– Billboard

Erick The Architect Steps Into A New World On 'I’ve Never Been Here Before'

Rapper/producer Erick The Architect is no stranger to reinvention. 

The Brooklyn-bred MC cut his teeth over alt-East Coast beats as Erick Arc Elliot before forming psychedelic rap trio Flatbush Zombies with childhood friends Meechy Darko and Zombie Juice. But after multiple mixtapes and two albums with the group, Erick is returning to solo form and venturing into new creative ground. 

Following 2021’s Future Proof EP, Erick is embarking on new musical travels with the release of his official debut album, I’ve Never Been Here Before. Out Feb. 23, the double album explores Erick’s flowy instrumentation, poeticism, and artistry at full scale. The project is fueled by singles "Shook Up" featuring FARR and Joey Bada$$, "Ezekiel’s Wheel" with funk forefather George Clinton, and the breezy "Instincts" with Westside Boogie.

Erick says I’ve Never Been Here Before is more than a collection of catchy introspections, melodic monologues, and '90s-inspired jams. It’s the shedding of one persona — and sound — and the beginning of a new: the Mandevillain. 

"This album is an identity of a new person," Erick the Architect tells GRAMMY.com, noting that the moniker is an ode to his father’s hometown of Mandeville, Jamaica. "A lot of people may have thought there was a ceiling to what I’m capable of, but I think this album will showcase a brand new artist and identity, which is really hard to do when people think they already know you. But I really think this is unique." 

The switch isn’t just in name — he’s taken on a new approach to music, too. For the first time in years, Erick says he’s prioritizing himself and his specific musical world. "It’s the first time I have created with the headspace that I’m free," he says. "I find that other artists don’t listen to other people’s music when they’re in a creative space, but this is the most locked off I’ve been from things."

As much as I’ve Never Been Here Before signals new creative ground for Erick to fertilize, it also represents his collective efforts to limit distractions and break free of any barriers — personally and sonically. 

While it was difficult to stay so focused and inward-looking while creating his debut album, turning to some of his legendary collaborators provided some clarity. After having conversations with James Blake, George Clinton, and other artists as part of the project, Erick no longer feels forced to fit a mold or address outside criticism. 

"This album is about sacrifice, and I’ve Never Been Here Before is me being okay with losing things," he says. "I think that losing has always a negative connotation because nobody wants to lose, everybody wants to win. But it's the first time I'm losing stuff and it’s better being lost. Whether it's a habit or a person in your life, you don't need to hold everything."

I’ve Never Been Here Before lives up to its title in both theme and creation. Where Erick previously wrote songs in moments of vulnerability, the rapper says he "doesn’t feel that way anymore." 

Citing the work of Keith Haring, Miles Davis and Pablo Picasso as inspiration, Erick says he was driven to write more high-spirited songs, rather than ones tethered to struggle and hardship. As a result, the album is more accessible than some of his previous work.

"I’m tired of writing from a perspective of just being like, 'I’m sad today, bro,'" he says. "I haven’t made a project that I feel like you can just put that joint on and just play it, don’t even think about anything else because it’s commanding an energy that we all need." 

In transforming the project, the "Die 4 U" artist pieced together a blend of new and older songs he recorded five years ago. And while a double album is a "death sentence" in the eyes of most rap fans, Erick says he’s prepared for both heaps of praise and hurls of "he’s overrated" from listeners. He would feel more anxiety only if the music never came out.

"I’ve always believed that I had another special part of me that I think people didn’t witness because I didn’t put it out in the forefront," he says.

While getting a new release across the finish line can be a heavy weight to bear, Erick says he’s determined to prove his doubters wrong and own his legitimacy as a solo act. "I didn’t get lucky or sneak in here and steal beats from somebody’s laptop," Erick says. "This project is great to defeat people who have perceptions about me that are incorrect."

With the momentum of I’ve Never Been Here Before, Erick is set to test his new music and moniker on the road during his upcoming Mandevillain Tour, which kicks off in Austin on March 25.

Now that he’s fulfilling his ambitions as a solo act, the artist has a few more mediums he plans to explore – TV and film. After being a rapper/producer for more than a decade, Erick says he’s ready to take grander creative leaps.  "I’m just trying to take this to the highest caliber," he says.

– Grammy.com

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

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