Who is ‘irregular’? Meet the artist behind the tag showing up all over the city.

On the face of eroded barricades, rotting alleyway dumpsters, dark under-passes and window-sized wood panels, the word “irregular” has become an increasingly regular sight for Philadelphians — and a mark of artist Sean Hassett’s growing presence.

Hassett, who goes by the moniker “Irregular” or “Irregular Sean,” has spray painted and penned his graffiti tag across the outskirts of West Philly to Chinatown, Spring Gardens, Brewerytown to the beating heart of Center City. Yet, his identity and motive are largely cloaked in mystery.

“I have no backing and there’s no system that I’m part of that’s helping generate what I’m putting out,” Irregular said to The Inquirer.

“I’m trying to show people that you don’t have to take the normal route, you can do it on your own.”

While he was drawn to the word “irregular” as a kid growing up in Darby, he didn’t put his talents to the canvas until he was released from George W. Hill Correctional Facility after a one-year stint in 2013.

While incarcerated, Irregular befriended an inmate who used to draw images on the letters he wrote to his loved ones in exchange for soup cans. Before the man was released, he gave Irregular all of the stencils and art tools he used to craft his work. That moment, he said, opened the door for his own artistic pursuits.

“Coming home with that record and no college degree, (it) pushed me to devote myself to my craft,” Irregular said.

Over the years, Irregular started creating acrylic paintings and mosaic-style works made from fragmented mirror pieces.

In 2020, the now-33-year-old artist began spraying his graffiti tag across Philly. He was partly inspired by the protests following George Floyd’s murder and the work of Germantown artist Nomad and Ghuls creator Lami Tolla. and he says his style and approach is influenced by Banksy and Basquiat.

Though he documents his art on Instagram, Irregular does not post pictures of himself on social media. (He did not agree to be photographed by The Inquirer.) He says he usually only leaves home for daily necessities and to sell and make his street art.

“I’m very withdrawn, and I’ve been very solo in what I’ve done over the years,” he said. “I’ve stuck to myself, and I don’t get into politics or institutions of the art scene... I try to contain my energy as much as I can. I think what I’m doing has some power to it, and I’m not trying to withhold it.”

When he peeks his head outside his home studio, he’s usually decked in paint-spotted garments, riding his bike with a spray paint can and white-out pen stashed inside a mid-sized pouch in pursuit of a new location for his work. In a matter of minutes, he coats the nine letters of “irregular,” and ducks off slyly without drawing attention.

“I just move with common traffic,” he said. “I like to say I move with the wind.”

He still sells his work in Rittenhouse Square, but tries to stay in the background and doesn’t approach onlookers until he sees a “magic moment” happen.

“I always wanted to create things that sell themselves on the street,” he said. “I don’t say, ‘Hey, look at this,’ or have a sign telling people to buy my work. I just stand a couple feet away, lean up against a pole and observe.”

Along with graffiti and mirrored artwork, Irregular sells mystery boxes, deep profile canvas and wooden-framed paintings on his website, with pieces ranging between $100 to $2,000.

It’s impossible to know how many tags he’s placed in the city. He stopped counting years ago but still feels a rush of leaving his mark. It’s like psychotherapy, he said, motivating him to satiate his appetite for more artistry and self-expression.

He views his work as a source of reflection, with the mirror pieces and word “irregular” serving as a symbol of self-identity and a magnet that draws a connection between him and the viewer. But rather than being packaged as a “street artist,” he prefers no title at all. “You can’t put a spotlight on a star. I’m just doing the work. Irregular is a statement, (and) the work emits a light of its own.”

Some Philadelphians view his tags as playful breadcrumbs. Some see it at as a link to a thought-provoking series, and others — especially on social media — see it as vandalism. “Artfully committing vandalism is still vandalism,” a Twitter user said.

I take objection to the term “artist”. He’s a criminal. Artfully committing vandalism is still vandalism.

— JohnsCow (@johns_cow) April 10, 2023

I dunno. Ask the “artist” to tag your front door.

— TappahannockName (@Allfortime0503) April 10, 2023

Resident Peter Gambino, however, welcomes this art.

“Philly has such a big and diverse art scene, so we might as well have a few mystery people working in that space,” said Gambino who first spotted Irregular’s tags six months ago. “[His work is] like little easter eggs placed along the infrastructure of our city.”

Other onlookers aren’t too fond of Irregular’s work . “I hate their tags,” says Philly resident Alex Fredericks. “(They’re) too long and aggressively style-less.”

Despite the mixed responses from passers-by, Irregular has become a sought-after talent in Philly’s art scene. He created two projects with Mural Arts Philadelphia. The first was a temporary mural for last year’s Wawa Welcome America; his work Mural Magic is irregular was featured at the 2023 Flower Show.

He was also tapped by Hyatt Centric Center City to be a part of the hotel’s monthly Maker Series back in January. Elizabeth Fricke, director of sales and marketing at HCCC, said Irregular’s approach to street art made him a natural fit for the series that spotlights the work of local artists.

Photo blogger Conrad Benner, who worked with Irregular on the Mural Arts projects, called Hassett an innovator. “He’s at this point in his career where all the doors are open to him, and he’s jumping through them,” he said. “That’s to say, he’s driven and taking advantage of this lane he’s made for himself.”

An “irregular” tag along 11th St. by Spring Garden in Philadelphia.Heather Khalifa / Staff Photographer

As more opportunities come along, Irregular said he will continue to etch his path as an independent artist, and break down barriers that may be in his or other artists’ way.

There’s no set direction in mind, he said. For now, he plans to sell more of his artwork and hopes to expand his brand globally.

“I’m not a starving artist, I’m a hungry artist, and myself and others know there’s much more potential past these walls,” he said. “I’m continually pushing myself, trusting my evolution and allowing everything to come my way. I want to stay on my trajectory and see Irregular grow 10 times bigger.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

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

Philly comedians find more laughs with an expanding indie stand-up scene

It’s hard to ignore Philly’s influence in the comedy world.

Superstars like Kevin Hart and Quinta Brunson have broken barriers in Hollywood, while Upper Darby native Tina Fey shined for years as a Saturday Night Live cast member and writer. Late comedy legends Bob Saget and David Brenner helped establish the city’s signature raw, cheeky, and unfiltered comedic style. But comics Tyler Wolf and Manny Brown say the city has yet to fulfill its potential.

For years, Wolf said, Philly has had fewer opportunities for comedy compared to cities like Boston, San Francisco, Washington, and Chicago. The Mount Airy native, who started Next in Line Comedy shows with Brown in 2021, said there aren’t enough shows, open-mic events, or paid gigs for many local performers to pursue full-time careers as comics.

“The weekends, which is ideally when shows are taking place, are pretty barren in Philly outside of the comedy clubs, but those other mid-major cities might have five-plus independent shows on any weekend night,” Wolf, 30, said.

Brown said there’s still much to be desired, but the rise of independent shows and small, DIY-style comedy stages are filling the void. Along with established clubs like Helium Comedy Club and Punch Line Philly, the West Chester native said comedians are renting out local restaurants, cafes, breweries, and bookstores for more stage time, consistent pay, and a longer leash of creativity.

“We’re moving toward this larger independent comedy scene,” Brown, 34, said. “That’s a win-win for the comics because they get more stage time and become better comics, and it’s also a way for audience members to see really good comics for not a lot of money.”

Many independent comedy shows in Philadelphia cost between $5 and $20, and expose audiences to observational, deadpan, dark, or slapstick wit.

Part-time performer Kinjal Dave — who has produced shows in the backyard of Bindlestiff Books — said hosting events at venues like Tattooed Mom, Fergie’s Pub, and Second District Brewing also gives more Philly comedians an outlet to sharpen their skills when other comedy shows have full lineups.

“[These spaces] are really important if you want to get diverse voices, perspectives, and life experiences on stage,” Dave, 27, said. “I think in mainstream comedy, a lot of it is about stereotypes, and you have little time to get the audience’s attention. But if you have your own show, you have a chance to have a different conversation or opportunity to express yourself.”

Kristen Scopino, who has organized comedy shows at Stir Lounge, Dahlak Paradise, and other venues in town, said the comedy scene has opened up, and is offering more women-led and LGBTQ-centered events since she first began hosting shows in 2018.

“There were so many lineups with all men, but there’s been a few different LGBTQ showcases around the city in the last few years,” Scopino, 31, said. “A lot more people around the city are more open to putting on different comedy events, some even for the first time, and checking out how it works in their place.”

Comedian Jay Yoder, 39, said the rise of independent shows and small-scale events is a product of the pandemic. Many comedy clubs closed, leaving performers without a creative outlet, and unsatisfied in a genre that relies on a live audience.

When the switch to virtual performances flattened their hopes, Yoder said, he and other comics turned to whatever spaces were willing to host weekly nights of comedy, which continued for three years. The once makeshift stages have become routine comedy stops, and helped Yoder, a part-time teacher in Chester County, jumpstart his comedic career.

“Restaurants were primed for it,” said Yoder, who hosts monthly comedy shows at Tuned Up Brewing. “They had space that needed to be filled and it was just another reason to get people back into the building. It was sort of natural, and it worked out beautifully.”

Since the pandemic, Prateekshit Pandey, a regular performer at ComedySportz Philadelphia and Philly Improv Theater, said some comics have begun producing small shows inside their apartments as a way to cut costs and provide more intimate settings.

“In Philadelphia, especially after the pandemic, people have been doing that a lot because it’s cheaper to get those audiences, set it up, and perform for a smaller audience,” Pandey, 28, said. “You don’t have to pay for the price of renting out a bookstore or a cafe or anything like that.”

Alongside the rise of DIY-comedy shows, long-standing clubs are welcoming changes in the local scene.

Amanda Kyser, who oversees comedy operations for Live Nation, said Punch Line Philly is focused on drawing in different brands of comedy beyond typical stand-up.

“This is a moment where our definition of comedy is changing,” she said. “We’re embracing more types of comics from traditional stand-up comedians to podcasters and YouTube stars which are bringing new voices and new perspectives. It’s exciting.”

While the comedy scene is expanding, Pandey said there’s still a lack of diversity at local improv theaters, and certain comedy clubs are harder to break into than others, especially for comics of color.

“There are spaces and venues in Philly that are hard to get into because the gatekeeping comes into play,” he said. “Some are either geared to who knows who, and sometimes they don’t feel very comfortable going to regularly, at least not enough to be able to become part of the community.”

Dave said independent shows, open mics, and pop-up stages are creating more opportunities for comics of color.

“I want different immigrant communities that are in Philly to be represented in the comedy scene because there’s just a little bit more breathing room and hopefully the communities turn up and show out for these kinds of experiences,” she said.

With more outlets available, Wolf is confident the city will become a more viable spot for comedians to shine.

“This is not a zero-sum game,” he said. “More comedy just breeds better comedy, and there’s a big appetite in this city.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

New Philly theater company is creating productions for children with disabilities

Sarah Gordin’s love for theater bloomed the moment she saw Beauty and the Beast on Broadway.

At 4 years old, she stood up to watch the entire show through the balusters of the mezzanine, enthralled by the experience. The classic production inspired her to become a performer and later an educator in the world of theater.

Now, as an early childhood movement arts specialist at Germantown Friends School, Gordin, 23, relishes when her students are struck by the same magic she witnessed as a kid. But in the years she’s been a part of the local arts community, she noticed something was missing: a company fully dedicated to performances for children with disabilities.

“Every major city has a dedicated children’s theater, so I was shocked that Philadelphia didn’t have one,” said Gordin, a native of Livingston, N.J. “It’s really important for children to be exposed to theater. And this is the type of work that I want to create as an artist, and sometimes you have to create your own opportunities to do it.”

Jennifer Spencer (center) holds a sensory object (a bumblebee) while rehearsing “Season’s Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play” at Philly Children's Theatre.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Gordin established Philly Children’s Theatre in November 2021 with the aim of making theater more accessible to children throughout the region.

Inspired by Oily Cart in Europe, Philly Children’s Theatre puts on “sensory-devised” performances that incorporate interactive elements tailored to young children with disabilities. The company offers pay-what-you-can for entry and brings productions to local neighborhoods to eliminate the cost and travel barriers some audience members may face.

Their first production, Without Wings by Ilana Zahava Abusch, included American Sign Language interpretation at one of its performances in July 2022. And assistant artistic director Erin Gaydos said the group’s next production, Season’s Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play, will include more interactive features to give kids a more direct hand in the production.

Ahead of the play’s premiere on May 6, children in grades 4-8 at the Julia de Burgos Elementary School are making the show’s set and props, which all have a sensory element to them. Props include buttons, fuzzy pom-poms, wax flowers, rainmakers, spray bottles, and fans.

Philly Children’s Theatre is bringing the magic of the arts to children with disabilities. The company's productions include the use of sensory prop items like pom-poms, rainmakers, spray bottles, fans, and other items.Read moreCourtesy of Philly Children's Theatre

The props will be placed in a bag and given to groups in the audience at the beginning of each show. The characters in the production will guide each child using the sensory props as they appear, allowing them to help tell the story. Gaydos said there will also be original music, sing-alongs, and guided dances to engage different senses.

“It encapsulates that immersive and interactive part where they’re going through and creating the show with us while it’s happening,” Gaydos, 23, said. “And that way, they are allowed to experience the show in any way that they want to or can. There’s no judgment.”

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The prop and set-making are led by Julia Gutman, who heads art projects for the Creative Arts and Restorative Education Program. By helping children crochet, sew, and weave the art textile pieces together, she said it’s building a deeper connection between them and the show’s story of the four seasons.

“It’s not just for children, it’s with children involved,” Gutman, 24, said of the play. “I just love how child-centered it is.”

Cast members rehearse a sensory-devised performance of “Season’s Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play” at Philly Children's Theatre. The play will include tactile kits for children to use as part of the production.

Once the show’s spring run ends, Gutman said students will be able to take home the props they designed. The script will also be turned into a storybook by playwright Juana Parral, with Julia de Burgos students illustrating the story.

Through community partnerships, Season’s Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play will debut in a closed performance at the Center for Autism and the HMS School in April. Public performances will take place at the Wyck House, Abington Arts Center, and Historic Fair Hill May 6-13.

Performer Jennifer Spencer, 24, said the theater’s desire to take the show to different neighborhoods in Philly is what drew her to the company, and she can’t wait to see how the children take in the experience.

“It’s important to reach people where they are because not everybody has the same opportunities as everybody else,” Spencer said. “I grew up in a program that allowed me to see opera from a young age, but other kids have never seen an opera or theater show. This is gonna be their first time experiencing something like that, and this is a great way to show them.”

Cast members rehearse at Philly Children's Theatre.Yong Kim / Staff Photographer

Going forward, Gordin wants to continue securing funding and support from local organizations to introduce theater to children ages 1 to 5 and make sensory-based productions more accessible throughout the region

“It sounds like a big goal, and it is, but we’re going to talk to community centers, hospitals, homeless shelters – wherever we can bring the show and bring joy,” she said.

Season’s Magical Adventures: A Sensory Play premieres May 6 at the Wyck House. Two other shows are scheduled, May 7 at the Abington Arts Center and May 13 at Historic Fair Hill.

Registration for the 45-minute production opens March 1 and can be found on the group’s website. For more information, visit phillychildrenstheatre.org.

– The Philadelphia Inquirer

Boi-1da, The Free-Spirit Super Producer, In His Grammy Moment

Boi-1da isn’t one for repetition — he’s an explorer of sound. Throughout his run as a top-booking producer, he’s fused his love of hip-hop, reggae, dancehall, R&B, and other genres in pursuit of the next sonic wave, and he’s done it by refusing to limit his creative ambitions.

“I don't like to just do the same thing,” Boi-1da said. “I'll get bored and just feel like doing something completely outside of the box just to challenge myself or push myself. And it's good for the mind. You sit there and make a million rap songs, beats, ideas, and whatnot. But then sometimes I just want to do something different and just get outside of my box and comfort zone.”

From the days he spent obsessing over FruityLoops beats as a teen to the years he’s been cranking out platinum-selling hits like “Headlines” and “Work,” the Kingston-born and Toronto-raised producer has harnessed his artistic powers to spearhead the industry’s biggest musical trends and established himself as one of the top producers in the last 15 years. Between collaborations with heavy hitters like Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross, and fellow Canadian superstar Drake, along with a slew of platinum plaques to his name, Boi-1da, born Matthew Jehu Samuels, has the hardware to back up the claims.

As the Grammy winner’s star has grown brighter, he’s kept his profile low and his goals in frame. And his approach to life and music has led to a second Grammy nod this year for Producer of the Year in the Non-Classic field, with songs like Jack Harlow’s “Churchill Downs,” Kendrick’s “Silent Hill,” and Beyoncé’s “Heated” helping him score a nomination. “It's always a deep honor to get any sort of nomination from the Academy. So to have this again, it almost feels surreal,” the 36-year-old producer said. “It's hard to even muster up a feeling. This is stuff I dreamed about as a kid.”

With the momentum of Drake’s “God’s Plan” setting the industry ablaze, Boi-1da was nominated for producer of the year for the first time back in 2019. That year, the title was granted to Pharrell Williams, an artist he said inspired him to make music. This year, Boi-1da is joined by pop juggernaut Jack Antonoff; Steve Lacy and SZA producer DJ Dahi; The Black Keys guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach; and Oscar-winning producer Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II.

While the relatively laidback and humble producer attributes his success to his family and talented friends in the industry, he’s beginning to embrace his own greatness in full — a feeling that’s grown as he’s reflected on his accomplishments. This year’s Grammy nod would have been a “surprise” in past years, but the recognition came right on time.

“I'm not going to lie, I wouldn't say I was surprised this year,” Boi-1da shared. “I did a lot of big songs. I was on some of the biggest albums this year. It is one of those things where you don't expect it but you expect it, you know?”

Boi-1da’s success in 2022 — like all years — is tied to his uniquely aimless approach to music-making, which is about as boundless and free-flowing as the strokes of an abstract painting. Admittedly, he doesn’t always know what songs will climb the Billboard charts, or which artists will hop on which beat. Most times, he said those things come together naturally, and he’s at his best when his mind is transfixed on other things, like video games and movies like the Brazilian crime flick City of God.

“I still watch a lot of movies and play a lot of games because there will be those times when you just don't feel like making music,” Boi-1da noted. “For me, I’ll watch a good movie and be like, ‘Wow, I really like that movie,’ and it’ll make me want to get in the studio for some reason. Or, I’ll play a game and I’m like, ‘I want to make music now.’ It’s always important for me to keep my mind occupied on other stuff because it just leads me back to music every single time.”

Over time, Boi-1da has learned to let the music happen and have fun in the process, and collaborations with friends like Harlow on “Churchill Downs” breed those kinds of moments. Boi-1da and the Louisville rapper came together seamlessly for the song’s concept, and the Drake-assisted track later turned into one of the biggest songs of Harlow’s career and a standout on his debut album, Come Home the Kids Miss You.

“Working with Jack is just so effortless and so easy,” he said. “It's like two homies just get in the studio, we crack some jokes and we just figure it out.”

His collab with Kendrick was much of the same magic. The two superstars have worked together for years on album cuts like “The Blacker The Berry,” so putting their minds together to notch out tracks for the Grammy-nominated Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers was like another day in the studio. “Anytime I’m in L.A., I always got to tap in with Dot,” he said. “So we were just having fun and cooking up some ideas in the studio. He’s a mastermind. He took everything we did and just went into his hut, master-crafted it, and put it all together. But it’s always effortless working with Dot. He’s one of my favorite people to work with.”

On his discovery of untapped sounds that turn to trends, Boi-1da has mastered the ability to bend the familiar and make it nuanced. Whether he’s working on stadium anthems like “N95,” soulful, sample-driven hits like Drake’s “Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2” or fierce, dancehall-infused tracks like Beyoncé’s “Heated,” his appetite for experimentation has reached towering heights. And working with artists like Beyoncé brings his Frankenstein-like production to life.

“It's always a pleasure working with Beyoncé,” he said. “That's the queen, man. Whatever she does, whatever she stamps, or whatever idea she has, it's just always a goal. She just doesn't miss and it's just a pleasure working with her.”

As he charts his path forward, the super producer is chasing another “dream” of his: a compilation album. He shied away from revealing a release date, but he said fans can expect “everybody’s favorite artists” on the project. “I'm taking my time with it and making sure it's the best quality of music that I've ever done,” he said. “That's just my dream — to do something I haven't done yet. I can't wait for everybody to hear it.”

In fulfilling his dream, Boi-1da said he will continue to roam freely as a creative and drift toward whatever inspires his path of musical exploration.

“I'm just a free spirit with music,” he said, “I just go wherever the wind takes me, so I couldn't even predict what I'm going to get into. It's just going to happen. You're just going to hear about it. I go where the wind takes, where life blows me.”

– MTV News

Resetting the metronome: Philly beatmakers build community through monthly meet-ups

Dan Brightcliffe knows the isolation of beatmaking. All the hours spent fixed to an MPC drum machine or needling through sample packages on a laptop can be grim even for the most withdrawn of producers.

To forge a culture of collaboration, Brightcliffe, 33, and fellow producer Quinton “Q No Rap Name” Johnson, 30, host Flipabeatclub, a monthly beatmaking event that is generating buzz and building community in Philly’s music scene.

Since August, Johnson and Brightcliffe have drawn producers to Cratediggaz Records to create hip-hop, house, and electronic beats in tandem. Some dig into their vinyl collection, and others use computer programs or phone apps, but what brings them together is their love of beatmaking and eagerness to connect.

Philly’s FABC looks to reset the metronome by bridging the gap between artists and producers, and expanding the club’s reach beyond the city’s borders.

“There really hasn’t been much of an outlet for people who make sample-based music,” said Brightcliffe, who produces under the name “Philth Spector.” “It seems like there’s a slight disconnect between the people who make beats and the people who rap, which is one of our goals outside of just giving producers a platform and a network to create.”

Dan “Philth Spector” Brightcliffe (standing far right) checks the progress of the beatmakers during the Flipabeatclub monthly beatmaking event at Cratediggaz Records, 711 S 4th St., Phila., Pa. on Fri., Jan. 20, 2023.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Producer Matt “$LiMs” Leahey, who has been a part of the Philly club since its inception, said FABC is etching a path for beatmakers who create boom-bap and lo-fi tracks, and veer away from the trap-heavy sound of mainstream rap. The monthly meetups are also big for Philly rappers, many of whom haven’t caught the same gleam as artists in other cities with hip-hop influence.

“I think [FABC is] really important because Philly doesn’t have much of a hip-hop scene in the same way that Atlanta, New York, or L.A. [does],” Leahey, 21, said. “Most rappers in Philly that I’ve seen come up in the last decade — except for superstars like Lil Uzi Vert, Meek Mill, and others — don’t really break out of Philly.”

Leahey said the same problem goes for the local beat scene. But with the presence of FABC, he’s confident things will turn around.

Bob Fisk, who owns Cratediggaz, said FABC is the grounds from which producers can perfect their craft and form connections with Philly rappers, songwriters, and singers. And in time, breathe new life into the city’s soundscape.

“There’s so much talent in the city, it’s crazy,” Fisk, 39, said. “There’s always been the existence of it. New York had the clubs, but we always had the talent.”

At each meetup, club members craft a beat from a chosen sample, then play their records on a Zoom call with FABC chapters in L.A., Toronto, D.C., and Sacramento. And at the end of each month, their beats are packaged as a compilation and released on Bandcamp.

The Sacramento club is helmed by FABC founders Donell McGary and Armando Montesinos, better known as “Dibia$e” and “Mon$rock,” who started the beatmaking network in November 2021.

Back then, only a handful of creatives met at Sacramento record store Twelves Wax for a session. But after a surge in COVID-19 cases, McGary and Montesinos moved the sessions to Zoom, which quickly drew in viewers like Brightcliffe and others from countries as far as Tasmania and Turkey.

“Being a hip-hop producer has always been guarded, like you don’t share your secrets,” said Montesinos, 43. “But it’s important to spread love, connect with people, and have those interactions.”

One of the club’s original members was Johnson, a Dallas native, who used to drive from Vallejo to Sacramento to make beats alongside McGary and Montesinos when he lived in the Bay Area. Before he moved back to Philly, Johnson talked to Montesinos about bringing the FABC brand to the East Coast.

Quinton “Q” Johnson of Phila. (right) gets Gregory Bissell of Phila. set up so he can broadcast his beat during the Flipabeatclub monthly beatmaking event at Cratediggaz Records, 711 S 4th St., Phila., Pa. on Fri., Jan. 20, 2023.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer

Johnson, unsure of the new chapter’s direction, met Brightcliffe at the first event in Philly, and brought him on as a cohost. Inspired by the Sacramento club’s success, Johnson wants to bring Philly’s beatmaking sessions to a live audience.

“They built like a Wu-Tang of beatmakers out there,” the Mount Airy resident said. “I don’t know if it was planned this way, but now they have built up a lineup if they ever want to do a show … Our plan is to do something similar.”

Philly FABC member Gregory Bissell, 29, said he saw the chapter’s growth in attendance and impact after just three meetups.

The Louisville, Ky., native, who started making beats in 2020 to pass the time in quarantine, said the club’s beatmakers have already collaborated on shows with local artists. And with more members, showcases, and meetups outside Cratediggaz, he believes the music scene can reach new heights.

As FABC looks to stretch its reach even further, McGary, 46, said Brightcliffe, Johnson, and other chapter leaders just need to stay the course.

“There’s a five-year plan,” he said. “If we do this, and we do it well for the next five years, it will do wonders. It’s only going to magnify.”

– The Philadelphia Inquirer