Tidal returned to Barclays Center on Monday (October 21st) for a special benefit concert in support of Rock the Vote. Artists which included Alicia Keys, French Montana, Lil Tecca, Ty Dolla $ign, G-Eazy, Fat Joe, MoneyBagg Yo, Lil Uzi Vert, Nicole Bus, Angelica Vila, Lucky Daye, Young Ma and more took to the stage to promote the importance of voting. The benefit concert was hosted by Angie Martinez and Clarissa Molina.
“I didn’t learn too much about voting. I didn’t learn until I got to school. So a lot of ideas about voting is not instilled in our homes especially in the hood when your parents not happy about what’s going on in the world. So it’s easy for people to just say I’m good, I’m good I’m just gonna see what happens and if it all goes down I’mma just be ready. That’s usually what people in the hood really be thinking, because we don’t feel like we have a voice because the people with the voices don’t give us the opportunity to say something. I feel like we have to give each other that. I didn’t have that,” Lucky Daye told The Knockturnal before his performance about his experience with learning about voting growing up.
Young MA who just released her long awaited debut album Herstory said in regards to her feelings on Tidal’s partnership with Rock the Vote to encourage young people to vote, “Definitely important, definitely something that was necessary. I’m actually happy to be a part of this and in my own city, it’s Brooklyn man, it’s only right. And it’s just a perfect event to be able to have that acknowledgment of the youngins knowing to go vote and not just looking at things as being cool but understanding the real meaning of changing the future.”
Rocnation artist Nicole Bus who comes from The Netherlands and just released her album Kairos spoke about whether or not there are political messages within her songs saying, “Well if talking to the community and talking to our people and talking to the culture is political then yes. I’m not calling anyone out because I don’t think that is my place, but I believe we at least have the responsibility to encourage each other and to start thinking about what really matters you know … Being here tonight is very special because I believe we are writing history right now. I think it’s necessary that we come together and I think it’s necessary that we are standing firm on what we want for our future instead of what other people think is right,” Bus added about why she felt it was important to perform at the concert. Bus who also has an unplugged style show coming up spoke about the distinction between her Tidal Rock the vote performance and her unplugged performance saying, “Well tonight will be firmly the songs on their own, and unplugged should be something special so I’m gonna put something something in there for you guys.”
Sponsors included D’USSE, Turtle Beach, Mark Levinson By Harman, CIROC Ultra-Premium Vodka and Snipes.
