18 years ago, Jose Elias, a self professed “world music nerd,” thought to put together a one-off tribute to the iconic artist Sun Ra at Tobacco Road. His curation of the event called attention to what he quickly realized was a hunger for African-derived music in Miami. “There were a…
It seems like the “comeback” is a trending theme in South Florida hip-hop this week. Miramar resident Bizzy Crook took the more literal route, dropping his new video for “The Come Back,” in which he takes over the Miami Marine Stadium before its possible renovation this fall. Meanwhile, Little Havana’s…
Much like musicians of the post-punk era they idolize, the musicians in Astari Nite are romantics in black. “We really love what we do. We have a lot of passion and we’re super humbled doing what we do. If you enjoy what you’re doing there’s really no room for anything…
Fool’s Gold Day Off, the hip-hop/electronic music festival presented by Fool’s Gold Records, was a good thing for Miami music. Coming to the 305 for the first time outside of Art Basel last year, the event helped jumpstart the fall concert season, providing a smooth transition into III Points. Last…
Things should be good for the West Palm Beach indie-rock heroes of Surfer Blood. They have a new album set for release in early 2017. They’ve had opening gigs for some of their biggest influences, including the Pixies and Guided by Voices. Their song “Swim” was even heard on the…
Labor Day in Miami is a welcome respite from the daily grind of traffic and work, but it’s also an extra day of the week to spend the cash you worked so hard to earn. It’s also the beginning of the end of summer, which means that — finally —…
Jazz Cartier doesn’t like doing too many interviews. He speaks bluntly — preferring superlatives to subtleties — and sometimes that means saying something in the moment, which he’d later like to reconsider. But he get’s it: hip-hop is competition. And when you’re the self-proclaimed “Prince of the City” in Toronto,…
What do you do once you’ve already seized the hearts and ears of millions around the globe? For those lucky few who have ascended to pop stardom, this is a predicament that has — and likely always will — pose a steep challenge for the newly minted Biebers and Swedish…
If Drake and I were best friends I think we’d start the day off with breakfast. Not some fancy lobster eggs Benedict sort of joint (unless it was Sunday) but a regular old diner would do. I’d go with french toast and he’d stick with an omelet. We’d ask for…
At Calle Ocho’s famed bar and venue Ball & Chain, the sounds of today’s Miami music echo through walls that once heard the greats of jazz’s golden age. If these walls could talk, they’d tell stories of the time stars such as Billie Holiday and the Count Basie Orchestra stopped…
When Dave Daniels opened Churchill’s Pub September 1, 1979, he probably didn’t think it would still be thriving in Little Haiti 37 years later. But in 2016, the place is still standing. The Soviet Union has broken up, vinyl has died and been revived, and Churchill’s is still pouring cold…
Fuck the leopards. Jungle Island’s never seen anything as wild as what Rick Ross, Maybach Music Group, and Tidal unleashed on Miami Monday night. The Teflon Don didn’t just take the stage. He stole it, broke it into pieces, and shared the loot with his friends. Rozay, the Bawse —…
In 2012, Aluna Francis and George Reid released their first single, “You Know You Like It.” And though the duo’s first album, Body Music, was still more than a year away, that debut track proved to be a fantastic piece of future-pop-meets-R&B with a hint of garage, a perfect introduction…
For as long as the independent music operation — that is, any endeavor not tied to or backed by a major label — has existed, so too has the compilation. In certain circles, no meaningful or in-depth exploration of a favorite artist’s discography is complete without stumbling upon a loose…
Stereotypes can be insidious little devices formed to oppress entire races and religions. But some exist for a reason. They’re grounded, to some extent, in truth. Certain stereotypes about Hispanics — we’re loud, love to dance, etc – crudely highlight a culture that is driven by passion. Saturday night, the…
In December, you start hearing about how people forget the true meaning of Christmas, but what about Labor Day? Does any one out there even know why we get the first Monday of September off every year? Did we win a battle of some kind? Did William Taft just hate…
After a somewhat slow month of concerts and the temporary dearth of marquee live acts in Miami that tends to come with summer, it seems that we’ve turned the corner and are barreling straight into the upcoming fall season with a calendar stuffed fuller than a burrito filled with the…
Walking up to the front door of the North Miami Beach residence that serves as Pariuh’s creative headquarters is a neat-freak’s nightmare. Test prep books are stacked high on a table next to a full trash bag and shoes are strewn about. It looks like spring cleaning or preparation for…
As summer 16 draws closer to its unfortunate demise, Dade County’s prominent emcees are taking advantage of the season’s final moments. Trina and wifisfuneral took to the streets of Miami to shoot their new videos while Pitbull, Flo Rida and LunchMoney Lewis whip expensive race cars from the Port of…
In the mind of Toronto-based artist Grandtheft, the two roles he occupies — that of DJ and producer – are further apart than most would venture to guess. “I think it’s my natural state to be producing in the studio. I can just write music by myself for sixteen hours…
If you feel like deviating from the usual suspects in Wynwood or Downtown this weekend, Sidebar is your best bet for some (free) live music. The bar’s weekly Cherry Pop Saturdays with resident DJ Rob Riggs will offer a glimpse at one of Miami’s newest bands. Cloud Solo, a fresh…
South Florida hip-hop fans have been patiently waiting for the official run down of Rick Ross’ upcoming show in honor of the 10-year anniversary of his debut album Port Of Miami. After the Maybach Music Group CEO made the announcement earlier this month, both fans and media alike have been…
