Author: 2Blunt

On March 2nd the African Giant known as BURNA BOY came to perform in Boston and was the first “African” artist to sell out TD Garden. That’s 20,000 seats filled with people from all over the New England area eager to see the MC perform.

Hiphop has had the charts and popular culture in a chokehold for the past three decades. However over the past ten years or so, we have begun to see an emerging competitor in the genre most know as Afro-beats.

The genre has been popular and widely recognized in various African countries and communities across the world. However, it wasn’t until the past several years the sound has been getting mainstream recognition.

Some may credit Drake for being the beacon for shining light on the eclectic sounds of Africa on his Views album, with appearances from Wizkid and other African artists. But with deeper observations and consideration it is apparent that a deeper phenomenon may be occurring.

America has always been known as the land of migrants and foreign influence. Here in the Commonwealth, we are honored to have communities from all over the world. Burna himself hails from the country of Nigeria, so you know his community was present to support him.

During the performance, Burna Boy took the time to honor a large community here in New England, the community from Cape Verde. Cape Verde has had a long history and relationship here in Boston and neighboring cities as they are credited of being whale hunters back in the 1700s, providing valuable oil for the colonies of America.

Cape Verde and Nigeria are not the only countries with a sizable community here in Boston, Liberians, Ghanaians, Moroccans, Senegalians and many other communities are present here in MA. That fact can be reflected in the city’s new branding of Nubian square formally known as Dudley. The transition was swift and happened several years ago now. It may have been a bit odd to some at the time but it seems to be making more sense or at least the vision and message is more clear.

Boston City Council took the time to honor Burna Boy’s success by what Gisthounds described as, ‘highlighting his impact on the city’s cultural scene.’ The African Giant was presented with a plaque of recognition and officially naming March 2nd, ‘Burna Boy Day’.

It is beautiful to see the progression of American popular culture and the inclusion of Africans. After all African-Americans have been the beacon of popular culture for a long time now, it’s nice to see the return to its roots and the celebration of such acts. 

Photo cred: @socialsane @blacvolta📸

We have boosted on a few occasions about Boston’s budding music scene with no regrets, rather with hope and aspirations to see it grow. It would be negligent, however to not acknowledge the thriving scene in other cities. In this article we will visit what people call the new black hub in America and a force to be reckoned with in the music scene, Atlanta. On the day before Valentine’s Day, Feb 13, at the State Farm Arena the annual TYCOON Music Festival kicked off with an all R&B lineup to set the mood for the holiday.

The show is a traveling festival, the last one was in Huston, TX which seems like a good place to host this kind of show. But there’s something about ATL that brings a different type of excitement. R&B Power Player Anthony “Ant” Wilson said, “this year’s Tycoon Music Festival is a showcase of the best in R&B.”

The show was hosted by comedian DC YOUNG FLY and headlined by CHRIS BROWN, MARIO, MONICA and GINUWINE however the lineup also included acts from ASHANTI, TY DOLLA $IGN, FRIDAYY, TANK, MANNIE FRESH, BRYSON TILLER, DJ ENVY, 112, JERMAINE DUPRI and more.

What struck our interest about the show was no other than.. the after parties. In fact the festival brings forth a host of other shows and parties to accompany the actual concert. Two parties in particular took place after the show at the arena that caught our eye. One on the 13th at Vision Restaurant and Lounge and the other on Valentine’s Day itself at Bamboo Nightclub. Models Debria Love and Mikayla Shapario from Boston participated in the Valentine’s Day themed afterparties and shared some content with us.

Chris Brown hosted both after parties but it was the lingerie party on VDay that was the real head turner. Bamboo Nightclub was transformed into Club ANT-LANTA, in honor of artist manager Ant Wilson who is credited for orchestrating this year’s series of events.

The party was invite only and featured a list of star studded guests and a bunch of ladies all in lingerie, about 400+ of them to be exact.

The venu was decked out in red and pink for the holiday and featured gorgeous chandeliers that were suspended over the indoor pool. Guests of the event were given custom made robes for the night.

Celebrity guests included P from QC, KEY GLOCK, JOSELINE from Love & HipHop, 42 DUGG, TOMMY from POWER, JUSTINA VALINTINE from Wildin’ Out, BOW WOW, BOBBY SHMURDA, and more. BOBBY SHMURDA was credited for turning the party up, as he usually does.

There was a prize contest for the best lingerie during the event. The first place winner won a Birkin bag, second a Louis Vuitton bag and the third place winner won a Gucci bag. None of our Boston ladies won a bag but better believe they were out there looking good and holding it down. They did say the party was one of the best they ever been too, which is worth noting.

Boston may not have festivals on that scale as of now but maybe that may change some day. After all, we do have casinos out here now, smaller sized festies and a whole lot of baddies.
Shout out to @debrialove and @mikaylashapiro for being Boston representatives at the TYCOON Music Festival. Mikayla is now an Atlanta resident, taking modeling gigs there  and holding it down for her hometown. Debria lives in Boston and loves it here but told us as of now she has to fly out to get better opportunities. She went on to say “it’s important [to me] that I some how put on for Boston!” Like us, Debria is eager to see more happen in the city and ready to put in the work.

Tycoon Music Festival 2024: Atlanta Valentine’s Edition was an event defiantly for the books. With star studded performances from the best in R&B to over 400 models in attendance, this is going to be a tough act to follow. Wonder where they will be hosting it next year and what else they’ll bring to the table! 🤔

Photo credits: @cashdidit_ @jamvisions @jawanzavickers @estwst.photos @shotsbymel_ @_wherestheproof @debrialove @mikaylashapiro 📸 📷

Boston has been recognized for decades for its prestigious academic scene and for its prolific sport teams. The city is known nationally for its thick accent and for being racist, of all things. But what most people don’t know is that there is a thriving music scene here that has been bubbling for some time now and feels like it’s about to reach new heights.

Although rarely mentioned in conversation about the hiphop scene, Boston has been present even before the genre hit mainstream. With legends like the late Guru of Gang Starr and Roxbury’s own Edo G, representatives of the city have been present and been impacting scene before many of us were even born.

Fast forward to 2024, almost on a weekly baises there is at least one major act performing here in Boston. Leading us to conclude that Boston is indeed a major stop on most musical tours. It makes sense being that it is a University town and looks to have been pushing to retain more activities for young adults.

This article is about the Boston Music Awards, a coalition that is dedicated to honoring music contributors in the community. Ironically they have been around since 1987, but have been on our radar since about 2019. It wasn’t until we started seeing post from local acts about the BMA’s that we started looking into it. Every year they honor musical artists, event coordinators/ promoters and even digital platforms like ours. We have not been recognized by BMA’s as of yet but that’s just motivation to work harder, besides we are not nearly where we want to be, yet.

Anyways it’s awesome that the city has been pushing for more musical activities and events. The BMA’s is a great way to celebrate local acts and give them a platform for more recognition and exposure. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of 2023! It’s a new year now and we are excited to see what the community has in store for the year.

Who will create the most and be the most impactful? Who will put out ground breaking work that resonates and inspires? Don’t know yet, first month of 2024 is almost over and the cities creatives are already hard at work. So keep an eye out and show some support to your local acts! Who knows who will be the next to blow!

Photo credit: @aperturestudios.co📸 📷

2023 came and left in a flash with overwhelming new amount of anticipation for the future. With talks of AI, war/ genocide in the Middle East and Afro beats still going strong, 2023 felt like an erratic and chaotic year.

We decided to end the year in Miami, a perfect location to vibe out, catch some sun rays and welcome the winter solstice. ART BASEL takes place in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood early December where artists, taste makers and fans of the culture come from all over the world to commune, network and celebrate selfexpression and art.

While down there, we had the privilege to meet many different walks of life and documented most of it. As most of you know, Kanye West decided to do a surprise concert in the mist of all the festivities. It felt uncanny to be honest. There was a sort of calm before the madness. Dinning at a low key Jamaican restaurant, is the humble Kanye West, vibing and previewing unheard music with all that were in attendance.

We weren’t present, although, we did dine at that restaurant several days before Ye popped up but it felt cool to know that Ye is out being himself and vibing with the people.

Kanye went on to throw what was advertised as a rave. It was underground and definitely cult-like with an exclusive and creative website where you can purchase the tickets. The show only had about 200-300 people in attendance but the city went kind of crazy behind the Ye madness as the website crashed because of too much traffic. Tickets were being sold via Instagram on a fan account. Felt a little sketchy. But the show did indeed happen!

Kanye brought out a star-studded line-up to accompany him and preview new music from his upcoming collaboration album with TY DOLLA $IGN. The line-up included LIL DURK,  OFFSET, CHRIS BROWN, KODAK BLACK, FREDDIE GIBBS, TY DOLLA $IGN and the biggest star yet Yeezy’s daughter NORTH WEST. The whole line-up came on stage in the fresh code; all black everything.

It’s always dope to get new music from Kanye but with Miami’s ART BASEL as a backdrop for new YEEZY is just perfect.

The show bared some controversy as some of the performers in attendance have been wrapped up in some not so favorable affairs. It was reported that KODAK had been arrested for cocaine possession the day prior to his appearance with Ye.
CHRIS BROWN, who has had his fair share of controversial moments in his career. OFFSET who is still kind of feuding with ex MIGO mate QUAVO and morning the death of TAKEOFF all while promoting a sophomore solo album, SET IT OFF. FREDDIE GIBBS, known for his underground notoriety and for falling out with the snowman, JEEZY. LIL DURK, who had a great year as the self-proclaimed voice of the trenches.

TY and NORTH arn’t too controversial but can’t deny they both add a certine flair to the show. Miss West was more than just part of the entourage, -she was there to make her musical debut!

The most controversial of them all, however is no other than KANYE WEST, himself, who has been accused of using antisemitic rhetoric and is visibly still experiencing mental health issues. This is a sensitive statement to make because most people will take it as dismissive which it isn’t at all. Ye is def on to something as he constantly seems to find the pulse of the culture and tap into it to chime in his creativity.
What is most curious though was Kanye’s complete outfit. He was out on stage, yes in all black, but also what appeared to be what looked like a Klu Klutz Klan hood, an oversized cropped T, a baggie pair of comfy sweatpants and some sock shoes, which we now know are his new Yeezy Sock Pod products, worn up to just beneath his knees like the knickerboxers . As odd as it was, the look was stunning and seemed to resonate on a certain level. It was reminiscent of them old Champ hoodies, -you know the ones with the cone head?

Miami ART BASEL was a great way to end 2023 and the fact that Kanye West thought so too is just great. For those who are excited as we are for VULTURES to drop, there’s some exclusive Kanye music that is out for everyone to enjoy. You can find a number of new songs and even a full length album from the contemporary maestro under the artist name of ‘BR1X3R’ and ‘Tobes’ on APPLE MUSIC.

Check it out, you’ll be glad we hipped you! 😎

Photo credits: @331des + @zacschuss📸📷

Jenso ‘JP’ Plymouth, a Haitian American producer/ engineer hailing from Brockton, Massachusetts, has left an notable mark on the music industry. With numerous industry-level placements alongside well-known artists, including Chris Brown’s 11:11 project that dropped 11/10, JP’s journey from his humble beginnings in Brockton to his current residence in California is a testament to his unwavering dedication to music.

The Brockton native’s introduction to music came through learning to play the guitar and piano. His early experiences with these instruments ignited his creative spark, as he began composing his own music at the tender age of six or seven. Even at such a young age, he demonstrated a natural inclination for music, experimenting with songwriting and playing the guitar, laying the foundation for his future career.

JP’s journey into the music industry took a significant step forward when he began working with local artists in Massachusetts. Among the artists he collaborated with Alan, a talent from Milton, and Bobby Brown Jr, son of the famous Bobby Brown, stood out. These collaborations marked the beginning of his professional career, with JP sending beats and recording songs for these artists. It was with artists like these that he developed his skills, nurtured his creative talents, and cultivated the relationships that would prove essential in his journey.

In his pursuit of a career in music, JP decided to move to New York, enrolling at St. John’s University to get closer to the heart of the music industry. His time at St. John’s provided the necessary proximity to the industry that would shape his future. His educational background in business also provided a solid foundation for his future endeavors in the music world.

St. John’s University played a pivotal role, serving as a springboard for JP’s career. It was being in New York where he got his opportunity to intern at Crosby Collective Recording Studios. JP worked his way up at the studio and eventually moved to California on the studio’s behalf and landed his first big break .

His first big placement was on Young Thug’s “So Much Fun” and “Slime Language 2”. These accomplishments catapulted his career to new heights, cementing his position as a sought-after producer in the industry.

During JP’s time at Crosby Collective Recording Studios, he assumed various responsibilities, including hospitality, maintenance, customer service, and inventory management. At this studio JP had the opportunity to study the main engineer, gaining valuable insights into the intricacies of the trade.

JP worked his way up from intern to studio manager at Crosby’s New York location. His dedication and passion for music led to an enduring relationship with the studios, where he continues to collaborate with them at their California branch, crediting the studio for securing many of his placements as part of the team. Those placements include works from Rich The Kid, DaniLeigh, Ciara, Chris Brown and more.

JP’s journey is a testament to the advice he now offers to aspiring musicians: study music, seek mentors, learn from experienced professionals, and find your place within the music community. His dedication and persistence have allowed him to thrive in a competitive industry.

The seasoned producer mentioned that his favorite part of making music is witnessing the creative process from start to finish. He finds inspiration in those moments when the music flows effortlessly, with little effort, turning the studio into a realm of artistic brilliance.

Looking back on his journey, JP would advise his younger self to focus on honing his musical craft and building a personal brand early on, emphasizing the importance of personal and artistic growth.

While California is now his home, JP returns to Massachusetts occasionally to visit family and celebrate the holidays. He takes pride in the fact that his home state is increasingly making an impact on the music industry. He salutes fellow artists like Lord Felix and the Van Buren team from Brockton, as well as Bia, who have all been making waves on the music scene. Jenso ‘JP’ Plymouth’s remarkable journey from Brockton to California stands as a testament to the power of passion, dedication, and relentless pursuit of one’s dreams in the music industry.

Boston’s live music scene in 2023 has been a melting pot of diverse sounds and genres, and two recent shows highlighted the vibrant creativity within black music. Afro beats artist Bnxn, formerly known as Buju, and the rising star Sexxy Red brought their unique styles to separate stages, proving that the city’s music scene is as eclectic as ever.

Bnxn, with his charismatic and smooth delivery, took the stage at The Sinclair in Cambridge on October 17. The event was organized by Ethio Boys Ent and MTP Management, with music provided by the talented DJ King Collins and DJ Wonka. Despite being low-key, the night was a treat for all attendees.

The crowd at The Sinclair was treated to an array of songs by Bnxn, showcasing the artist’s Afro beats sound and his ability to connect with the audience. Bnxn’s performance was a testament to the power of international music, demonstrating the global appeal of Afro beats and its influence on the Boston music scene.

On the other end of the spectrum, Sexxy Red brought an entirely different vibe to Boston’s live music scene. Her show at the Paradise Rock Club was a high-profile affair, drawing crowds from all corners of the city. The “Pound Town” lyricist arrived in all her pregnant glory, and the audience was ecstatic to welcome her.

Sexxy Red’s performance was a testament to her star power and the impact she’s had on the music industry. The audience enthusiastically sang along to her legendary tracks, creating an electric atmosphere in the venue. Her Boston show served as the kickoff for her 24-show tour, setting the bar high for the rest of her performances.

In a surprising twist, Sexxy Red also brought out “Area Code” rapper Kalii, who was fresh off a tour with A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Toosii. This unexpected collaboration added an extra layer of excitement to the already dynamic performance.

Both Bnxn and Sexxy Red represent the rich diversity of black music in 2023, each with their unique style and appeal. Boston’s music scene is thriving, with artists like these two setting the stage for a year filled with unforgettable performances.

As we continue to witness the state of black music in Boston, we’re excited to see what the future holds. With such remarkable shows in the area, it’s clear that the city’s live music scene is on the rise. Stay tuned for more updates and explore the sounds of Boston as they evolve and captivate audiences with their diversity.

BNXN Photo cred: @arsalaanishaq 📸

SEXXY RED Photo cred: @50cal_turf 📸