The Cowboy Carter Tour made its way to Atlanta for a total of four shows at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. I attended Night 1 this past Thursday, July 10.
Atlanta’s creative scene all came together this past Saturday to meet in West Midtown for Heat Index, a prelude event to the upcoming Heat Wave ATL experience on July 12.
May 17 marked a major milestone for founder and CEO Ebonie Ward. The grand opening of 11th & Co.’s new headquarters, 550 RMG, in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward brought out some of the city’s most influential figures in entertainment, media, and tech for a celebration of a new creative hub for black entrepreneurs.
March 9th was one of the windiest days of the year in Atlanta. But the violent winds were nothing in comparison to what Burna Boy had in store for the fans at State Farm Arena.
Last Thursday, STARZ hosted an exclusive screening of the first episode of season 3 of their hit crime series BMF starring Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr. and Da’Vinchi, who play Meech and Terry Flenory, two brothers hailing from the streets of Detroit with dreams of taking over the drug game.
The co-stars were also joined by Sydney Mitchell who plays Lawanda in the show, as well as special guest star 2 Chainz, whose character Stacks will have a recurring role this season.
2 Chainz shared “I am from Atlanta. I was here during the whole BMF invasion. I know Lil Meech’s father so it was cool to get this call from 50 [Cent] and get an opportunity to play a role in this.”
Season 3 follows Meech and Terry as they plan to expand the BMF empire throughout the southeast. As Terry manages operations back in Detroit, Meech tries to take over Atlanta, but not without some pushback from the competition and law enforcement.
This season also features guest appearances from Lil Baby, Ne-Yo, and Saweetie.
The after-party took place at Underground Atlanta, featuring a pop-up museum curated by Atlanta’s Cam Kirk Studios showcasing authentic artifacts from the Black Mafia Family. Reflecting the 90s era, the exhibit included items such as vinyl records and customized Detroit Pistons jackets.
Da Brat, Kandi Burruss, Zaytoven, Cynthia Bailey, Big Tigger, and more celebrities came out for the special night.
The new season of BMF premieres Friday, March 1 only on STARZ.
Maeta has just finished meeting and mingling with fans as they rave over her performance and excitedly take photos together. I’m waiting in the cold, sketchy basement disguised as a dressing room masked with terrible lighting when, suddenly, a sudden warmth washes over my body. I hear her melodious voice filling the space. She’s singing while heading towards me. It was finally time for our awaited sit-down.
On a Wednesday night in Atlanta, singer-songwriter Maeta performs her sold-out show at Center Stage, a venue housing three spaces under one roof. She’s at The Vinyl, the more intimate venue of the three, with its low ceilings and standing room, and a few random couches near the sound booth.
The crowd was lively even before Maeta hit the stage. As the music played, I went to the bar for a vodka soda with lime, waiting for her to grace the stage. She arrived slightly past her scheduled time. She’s accompanied by her two backup singers Caleb Curry and LennAsia Unique, two artists with strong, polished voices effortlessly weaving emotion and skill into every note they sing.
They perform songs from Maeta’s new album When I Hear Your Name released earlier this year. The sultry R&B project features vocals from Ambré, James Fauntleroy, Ty Dolla $ign, Lucky Daye, and Free Nationals, with production by Pharrell and KAYTRANADA.
The 13-track album fuses pop and soul while delving into the complexities of love and the exhilarating feeling surrounding wanting someone who may not be the best for us but feels right at the moment. But moments are temporary and Maeta explores that fleeting joy in tracks like “ASMR” and “Control Freak.”
The crowd caught a glimpse of those emotions when Maeta takes a brief pause in the midst of her set to give Caleb and LennAsia some shine. Caleb performed “Can’t Be Friends” by Trey Songz and sounded almost identical to the recorded version. Following, LennAsia captivates the audience with the timeless classic, my personal karaoke favorite, “I’m Going Down” by Mary J Blige. The audience responded to Caleb and LennAsia with the same enthusiasm they showed Maeta, cheering the duo on as if it were their performance.
Throughout the night, there were times when she’d interrupt her singing to share a joke with a fan or acknowledge the vibrant energy in the room. She sports a contagious Kool-Aid smile the entire concert. I could tell she was enjoying herself as much as we were. After performing “Fuck Your Friend” she confirmed my thoughts, telling us that Atlanta might be her favorite crowd so far, prompting cheers and raised drinks.
Credit: Angel Roman
Towards the end of her set, she takes it back to her roots. Maeta’s musical journey started on SoundCloud in 2018 where she would post covers of songs by Minnie Riperton, Jhene Aiko, Drake, and more of her favorite artists. So, it only made sense to wrap up the show with her intoxicating renditions of Beyonce’s “1+1” and Silk Sonic’s “Leave The Door Open.”
The concert concludes and I head down to her dressing room.
Coming down the basement stairs after her one-hour set, she continues singing effortlessly, perfectly hitting every note in her runs. Behind her are her backup singers, her Tour Manager, and other crew. She immediately walks over to greet me.
I remembered LennAsia mentioning on stage that they all call her ‘Money Maeta.’ So naturally, as an over-eager fan, that’s how I greet her.
“Hi, Money Maeta!” I say with enthusiasm. She immediately laughs and we hug like two old friends before sitting down. She reaches for a big bag of Skittles on the table in front of us. I ask if that’s her favorite candy, to which she replies “No. I don’t know why I asked for it, honestly,” with a mouthful of rainbow candy.
It starts to settle in that this is actually happening and my anxiety surges. In situations like this, a shot of tequila would be my remedy for taking the edge off. Spotting a bottle of tequila near the entrance, I don’t mention it to maintain professionalism. But almost as if she read my mind, LennAsia spontaneously asks the room “Should we take a shot?!”
We gather around with our cups and toast to one more show before the tour ends. After Atlanta, Maeta will wrap up The When I Hear Your Name Tour with a final performance in D.C. The tour started in August and has ventured through cities across the country, including Chicago, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles, before heading to Europe to perform in London, Berlin, and Paris.
Every person in the room is super friendly and welcoming, including me in their conversations and treating me like they’ve known me for longer than 15 minutes. In a fleeting moment of delusion, I felt as If I was a part of the crew. Like I was meant to be there.
It’s late and nearing midnight. I overheard some of the crew talking about how hungry they were so I didn’t want to waste too much time. I’m sure it’s been a long couple of months for everyone. With the holidays and the new year approaching, Maeta shares with me that she’s fulfilled yet exhausted.
“We got one more show and then we can finally go home. We’ve been going for a few months so now we’re all kind of ready to be done.”
And still, despite her tired state and hectic schedule, the Roc Nation signee found the time to talk to me about her first solo tour, working with industry legends, her journey from girl to woman, and how she’ll be a force to be reckoned with come 2024.
Has this tour been everything you imagined it to be?
It’s my first tour so I know we’re still in the trenches. It’s not as glamorous as I would like it to be but I really loved my team. I keep talking about my damn background singers, and they don’t give the love back, which kind of pisses me off. But I really love them. And having them around has helped my mental health, my health, and just everything. I love my team. And I look forward to just hanging out and being around them when we’re on tour.
My introduction to you was in 2019. I found your song “Kind of Fool” from your EP Do Not Disturb.
Wait, really?!
Doesn’t that seem like light years ago? The pandemic completely ruined my perception of time.
I went through so much since then. I feel like I’m a whole different person. That [era] is like a little girl to me. I feel like I’m a woman now and I’ve been through certain things. When [Do Not Disturb] came out, I was living in an apartment with no windows, and no WiFi, I had to go to a Starbucks to use my computer. So, seeing the growth is amazing.
You recently performed at the 2023 Soul Train Awards. How was that?
Amazing! It was so different because they did it outside at night on a mountain. And there was nothing to warm us up outside so I was freezing. I got so sick afterwards for like, three days. It was bad. But the performance was really good. I’m proud of it. Watching all the videos and seeing all the love it’s getting is making me very proud. It was my first award show performance ever. So yeah, I’m proud of it. But it was definitely a struggle and I think people don’t realize how hard it was.
To be fair, I couldn’t tell you were having a hard time at all. The wind blowing through your hair while you sang reminded me of Beyoncé.
Honestly, It’s LA at night. It’s gonna be cold. The wind was so bad that they had to stop filming for about an hour.
You and James Fauntleroy both have songs on each other’s projects. He’s featured on your song “Sexual Love” and you’re featured on “Mistletoe” on his new Christmas album The Warmest Winter Ever.
We made [Mistletoe] like three years ago. I just hopped on it and he told me “Do what you want,” and we put it out. I really love that song.
You’ve both been working together for years. I’ve always felt like James [Fauntleroy] is lowkey an A&R. He’s discovered so many artists before the masses found out about them. What have you learned from him?
I’m so appreciative of his character because he’s a legend. He’s all these amazing things. When I was first signed at 19, and nobody wanted to work with me. And my A&R had to fight people to want to work with me, he was just so cool about working with me all the time. He’s very generous and has been very generous with me. And I see him being like that with other people. He’s a very humble person. He can write a song in like, 20 minutes. He just has something nobody else can recreate.
Your album When I Hear Your Name features some of the biggest names in R&B right now. How does it feel to be embraced by so many top hitters and veterans?
Sometimes, I have to pinch myself because I’m a little girl from Indiana. I was just doing Instagram covers and now I’m in Pharrell’s house. And he’s complimenting me and shit. These are full-circle moments. It’s crazy how you can start from the most random place in the world and now I’m at Pharell’s house. It was a timestamp in my life. I’ve made it to a specific place in my career and I felt fulfilled. I learned from him that no matter how successful you are, to stay humble because he was so nice to me. He treated me like a regular human being and always asked for my opinion.
Have you learned how to be vocal about your feelings in moments like that rather than shying away due to fear?
I actually had to stop doing that for a bit.
Really?
I’m such a hater.
(Laughs) Don’t say that.
I really am a hater.
Oh God.
I shut things down. if somebody has a new idea, and I’m not feeling it, I shut it down. And I’ve had to learn like, stop being so rigid. So, I’ve had to learn to stop shutting down ideas that push me and challenges and things like that. I’m very opinionated. I’m a control freak, especially when it comes to my art. I’ve been doing music my whole life all by myself and now that I’m signed, I have a team of people telling me what to do. At first, it was an overwhelming experience. But now I love my team, and I trust them. And I don’t know what I would do without them.
Do you think that’s the Pisces in you?
Maybe. I’m indecisive and I question everything.
You’ve said that this is the most passionate you’ve been about a project because you’re actually living what you’re singing, as opposed to past projects which felt more like manifestations. How did you get to this point now?
I think that people always knew when I would perform those songs, I wasn’t connecting [with them.] It just was something that wasn’t clicking. And I think, I really feel my music. When I sing it. When I listen to it. Every time I would put a project out, I wouldn’t listen to it. I would just forget about it.
But yesterday, I did my Apple Music Replay and I’m my top artist. For more than 2,000 minutes I’ve listened to my own music. So, it shows that I really love what I’m doing now. I just experienced some deep and dark moments in life and spent a few years working on it. And I’m so proud of it. I feel it in my soul when I listen to it and when I talk about it.
Who else was in your Apple Music Replay? Who have you been listening to?
I love Yebba and India Shawn. There’s a girl named ABSOLUTELY. She’s RAYE’s little sister. She’s written a bunch of amazing songs for different artists. She’s a 19-year-old prodigy.
You hate the word vibe.
I knew you were gonna talk about that.
You hate when people describe music as a “vibe,” especially your music. What name would you give your music?
That’s the issue because I can’t think of a better word. I think my music is soulful and passionate and rough and gritty.
I would call it ‘Soft Girl Music.’
That’s a good way to put it because I know exactly what you mean and you didn’t even have to say “vibe.”
How do you feel 2024 will be different for you?
Okay, so here’s my new conclusion for 2024. I just decided this about two days ago. It was like a light switch went off. I’m very generous and I’m very forgiving. Sometimes, I’ll put myself through shit to make other people feel good. I’m in a place right now where I’m done normalizing pain in love. I’m a Pisces so I feel things so hard but right now I’m in a place where I just want to demand respect for myself and to be treated well. I’m ready to be a little more selfish next year.
I’m done sacrificing my own happiness and peace for other people. It’s exhausting. Yeah, I want love to feel good. I want love to not make me cry once every other fucking day, you know?
On Saturday, Nov. 11. the 2023 ESSENCE Girls United Disruptor Summit returned to Atlanta, offering a vibrant celebration of the diverse facets of the black experience. With the support of Coca-Cola and McDonald’s, attendees of all ages gathered for a day filled with panels, beauty, and music.
Throughout the lively event, trays of complimentary McDonald’s French Fries circulated the venue while guests engaged in various activities including photo-booths, crafting flower crowns, and more.
Essence Ventures President & CEO Caroline Wanga kicked off the event with her ‘Disrupt or Be Disrupted’ panel. A thought-provoking episode of the podcast ‘If Not for My Girls’ featured comedian and actress Pretty Vee, rapper BIA, and singer-songwriter Muni Long discussing walking in one’s purpose and aspiring for more.
Girls United Co-Founders Rechelle and Sophia Dennis joined sisters Jordyn and Jodie Wood for a heartfelt conversation on the joys of sisterhood and how they’ve learned eachother. Despite their age gaps, the sisters displayed a genuine closeness that made the panel feel more like a relaxed chat between life-long friends.
Jordyn and Jodie Woods, despite their undeniable impact across social media, have solidified themselves as more than just influencers. Jodie has emerged as an inspiration for the new Gen Z, while Jordyn has continued to establish her brand with her newly launched clothing line, Woods by Jordyn.
Notable personalities such as Aliyah’s Interlude, Yung BBQ, TM Twins, Karma Bridges, Anisa Brenee, and DJ Tootz were also in attendance.
The summit offered diverse interactive experiences, from speed mentorship sessions to a beauty makeover station. In front of a massive photo wall featuring the season 5 cast of ‘If Not for My Girls’—BIA, Muni Long, and Pretty Vee—attendees enjoyed Coca-Cola mocktails at a mocktail bar and explored a Coca-Cola® Zero Sugar photo activation.
Guests personalized airbrushed tote bags and pouches and indulged in some light shopping at the Soko Marketplace, featuring a range of products from jewelry to haircare.
The day concluded with an electrifying performance by Mariah The Scientist, singing her hit songs, including the fan-favorite “Spread Thin.”
Sound Clashes trace their roots to 1950’s Jamaica where crews and soundsystems competed against each other, song for song. Exclusive records known as ‘dubplates’ involving the original ‘dubbing’ or remixing its lyrics exclusively for a crew to play in battle against another. The more exclusive the song, the better.
In 2010, Red Bull adapted the traditional concept, birthing their own version: Culture Clash. Various crews unite to battle each other, amplifying diverse genres like Trap, Hip-Hop, Dancehall, Afrobeats, and more. The event has since hit cities worldwide, from London to San Francisco and Miami.
The global experience first made its way to Atlanta in 2017, where hitmakers like Mike WiLL Made-It, WondaGurl and British rapper Tinie Tempah took over 787 Windsor in Downtown Atlanta and shut down their respective stages. Despite Dancehall artist Popcaan’s absence, Team Unruly took home the win.
This year, though, Jamaica managed to redeem themselves as the rightful owners of sound clashes with Rum Punch Brunch, led by the legendary Dancehall & Reggae Deejay Tony Matterhorn and Willy Chin taking home the trophy after battling Bamba Tuesdays, Mashup Sessions and Perreo404.
Bamba Tuesdays and Rum Punch Brunch are two of the biggest parties in Atlanta solely dedicated to the expansive Afro-Caribbean community.
DJ Kash and friends take over Rock Steady for Bamba Tuesdays every Tuesday night for a lively weeknight out, while Rum Punch Brunch at Believe Music Hall, led by André Ruddock (Dreggae), Allan “Boom” Williams, and Karl Injex, turns Sundays into a fun day.
Prior to the inception of parties like Bamba Tuesdays and Rum Punch Brunch, opportunities for the city’s African and Caribbean communities to come together for unfiltered fun and authentic vibes were scarce. These parties have significantly transformed the Afro-Caribbean party culture in Atlanta for the better, providing a space for people to dance and celebrate various genres and artists, and honor cultural influences collectively.
On the opposite side of the arena stood Mashup Sessions, a renowned event series helmed by DJ Unruely and Canterbury Talez, and Perreo 404, Atlanta’s top Latin party destination featuring DJ EU and Nino Augustine. As far as I knew it, both of these crews were the “underdogs” of the night, especially when compared to the larger crowd supporting Rum Punch Brunch and Bamba Tuesdays.
Perreo 404. Credit: Brian Hall / Red Bull Content Pool
After a high energy performance from Atlanta’s own Crime Mob and a few words from the night’s hosts’ Jessie Woo and Paige Shari, a warm-up round was enacted for each team to go over the rules. The rules, in question, were pretty simple: Four rounds, 8 minutes per crew each round, no repeats and the team with the loudest applause wins.
However, with alcohol and Red Bull flowing through every attendee’s veins, strict enforcement of these rules seemed unlikely. Despite the rule that once a crew plays a song, it cannot be repeated by another crew, this was completely disregarded throughout the battle.
By the second round, both Bamba Tuesdays and Rum Punch Brunch played the popular southern anthem “Swag Surf” by F.L.Y. Except, Bamba Tuesdays took it a step further by bringing out F.L.Y. to perform it live. Judging by the explosive crowd reaction, it was obvious that Bamba had that round in the bag.
Despite the murky rules, each crew did a great job at capturing the essence of what a sound clash really is.
The nostalgia continued into round three, where Perreo 404 quickly showed their ability to compete with the big dogs when Roscoe Dash made a surprise appearance performing his 2010 hits “No Hands” and “Show Out”.
Mashup Sessions. Credit: Brian Hall / Red Bull Content Pool
Mashup Sessions brought out Young Nudy for a lively performance of “Peaches and Eggplants” during round three. Round one and three seemed to have the best energy that night. Or so I thought.
As the last round approached, tensions were high. The not-so light banter exchanged between Mashup Sessions and Rum Punch Brunch had elevated the intensity. In this case, trash talk was acceptable, particularly when delivered in the form of a dubplate.
But the trash talk didn’t hinder Rum Punch Brunch in the end. with a performance by Dancehall artists Vanessa Bling, recognized for her early work with Vybz Kartel. Serani and Aidonia. Teejay also came out and stole the show with a performance of his viral hit “Drift.”
The deserving winner of the trophy that night is open to debate. Naturally, people will claim that their favorite crew should have won. What’s undeniable, however, is that each of these crews has left an undeniable mark on Atlanta’s history.
Located in the birthplace of Hip-Hop, The Hip Hop Museum will open in 2025 and soon the world will be able to experience the cultural history and impact of Hip-Hop music.
In the meantime, the museum has joined forces with CÎROC and Mass Appeal to commemorate 50 years of Hip Hop by taking the museum on tour to various U.S. cities through Dec. 9.
The Hip Hop Museum Tour started in NYC on Oct. 14. and will make its way around to cities like Houston, Los Angeles, Charlotte and Miami.
The pop-up included special memorabilia from from 1973-1990, including Biz Markie’s nameplate chain and rhyme book, the party invite to DJ Kool Herc’s “Masterpiece” party that started it all and Run-DMC’s original Adidas sweatshirt.
The night started with a brief panel with museum curators and Hip-Hop historians Paradise Gray and Pete Nice, where they thanked everyone for coming and gave some insight to how the museum was brought together.
DJ Hurricane, who is known for his work with The Beastie Boys, set the vibes for the night.
CÎROC provided custom-crafted cocktails, taking inspiration from Atlanta’s Hip-Hop culture, featuring selections like “Mojo Handle” and “The ATL.”
Atlanta’s very own Baby Tate made a special appearance on stage with Paradise and Pete where she discussed her musical upbringing and influences growing up in Decatur, GA.
The rising star built a pretty successful career over the past few years due to her musical versatility and ability to experiment with different sounds.
She briefly partnered with Issa Rae’s music label Raedio for a few years before signing with Warner Records in 2021 and scoring a Grammy nomination for her contributions to Dreamville’s Revenge of the Dreamers project.
From Rap to R&B to Pop, Baby Tate has mastered her own distinctive style. On the brink of unveiling her forthcoming EP, Sexploration: The Musical, we spoke with Baby Tate at The Hip Hop Museum Tour in Atlanta where she tells us Hip Hop means to her, what to anticipate from Sexploration: The Musical and how she handles online trolls.
You can register for free tickets to The Hip Hop Museum Tour here.
The ESSENCE Girls United (GU) Disruptor Summit returns on November 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. The one-day event will be held at the PC&E soundstage from 10 AM to 5:30 PM EST and will serve as a safe space for young Black women, girls, and gender-expansive youth engage in panels, workshops, networking, activations, and more.
This year’s theme is “The Era of the Disruption” and inspires the new generation to come together and use their voices, innovate, share ideas and celebrate the richness of the Black experience.
The lineups does not disappoint and includes sister-duo Jordyn & Jodie Woods, Fashion Blogger and Designer Aleali May, Social Media powerhouses Yung BBQ and Aliyah’s Interlude, ESSENCE Ventures President & CEO Caroline Wanga, and a live taping of Season 5 of If Not For My Girls with rapper BIA, singer-songwriter Muni Long and actress and comedian Pretty Vee.
Hailing from South Africa, singer-songwriter Tyla will mark her performance debut at ESSENCE Girls United. Her track “Water” gained TikTok fame and has since made a significant impact in the industry, earning her a No. 1 spot on Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, displacing “Calm Down” by Rema featuring Selena Gomez.
“ESSENCE GU continues to embrace the values of empowerment and leadership. With a strong focus on personal development, intellectual growth, and societal change, our initiative has been meticulously curated to inspire young women and girls, creating a ripple effect of disruptors,” said Essence Girls United Co-Creator Rechelle Dennis.
Participants can secure free tickets for the 2023 ESSENCE Girls United Disruptor Summit at https://www.essence.com/gusummit2023, with virtual access on ESSENCE.com and GirlsUnited.ESSENCE.com. Join the conversation on social media @ESSENCEGU, using #GUDisruptorSummit.
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