Doja Cat. Los Angeles artist Doja Cat makes singing, rapping, and producing her own music look easy. Amala Zandile Dlamini, better known as Doja Cat, was born in Los Angeles to South African and Jewish parents. Doja Cat describes her music as bubbly. “It’s cutesy. It’s dark. It’s surprising. It’s trappy-go-lucky with a touch of punk. It’s exactly who I am,” she says. After becoming a Catwoman stan, she adopted her stage moniker and created a goofy yet lovable social media presence that earned her a cult following. While scrolling through her Instagram, you might find Doja wearing a handful of colorful wigs, videos of her creating beats with her mouth on the Acapella app, and her dancing in a cow costume. That quirky personality translates to her music. Read New Times' profile of the artist in "Rapper, Singer, and Producer Doja Cat Sets the Standard for Modern Musical Triple Threats." 8:30 p.m. Friday, August 9, at Flight Club Miami, 3910 NE First Ave., Miami; 786-310-5704; flightclub.com. Admission is free. All ages.
Ice Cube. Rapper Ice Cube is a giant of the genre — and depending upon your age, you might know him better as an actor and producer. You probably know Ice Cube went international with N.W.A. and the group's sadly, enduringly relevant song "Fuck tha Police." Gangsta rap might seem antiquated to some young kids today, but it's an artistic record of a period in our nation's racist history. But this weekend, try to channel Ride Along more than Boyz n the Hood while getting pumped to see Ice Cube. 11 p.m. Friday, August 9, at LIV, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-674-4680; livnightclub.com. Tickets cost $40.
Purple Madness. Sadly, the world won't see Prince live in concert again. But there are some awesome tributes keeping his vibrant spirit alive. Among them is the Purple Madness, a five-piece group out of Atlanta that'll stop in Fort Lauderdale this Friday. Led by singer Bobby Miller — who has the Prince vibe down pat — the band delivers all the classics, from "Raspberry Beret" to "1999." 8 p.m. Friday, August 9, at Revolution Live, 100 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; jointherevolution.net. Tickets cost $16.
Torche. Fifteen years and still going strong, Torche is a stalwart of the Miami rock scene. Today marks the release of Admission, the fifth studio album from the hometown rockers. Though each of the band’s projects has its unique elements, Torche has maintained its signature sound throughout the years. Guitarist Jonathan Nuñez credits the group's sound to the bandmates' collaborative nature while writing and recording material. “You can listen to our whole catalog and tell that it’s definitely our unique sound, but there’s always something new,” he says. The members of Torche have always had a distaste for traditional categorization, preferring to be left outside of the boxes that many people use to define bands. See what Torche is all about this weekend at Las Rosas, and read New Times' preview of Admission. 9 p.m. Saturday, August 10, at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; 786-780-2700; lasrosasbar.com. Admission is free.
Black Market, With Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent, Mold, and Others. If you haven't been to Black Market at Las Rosas yet, here's your chance. It's loaded with rad clothes, vinyl, crafts, zines, and other goods, so you're bound to leave with something. To complement the wares, Jordan Esker & the Hundred Percent, Mold, and other acts will jam, and Yoko Oso and Dasha will deliver drag performances. When you're hungry, Monsieur Poutine will satisfy you. Black Market is just one of many of New Times' picks for the best things to do this weekend. 8 p.m. Sunday at Las Rosas, 2898 NW Seventh Ave., Miami; 786-780-2700; lasrosasbar.com. Admission is free; RSVP via eventbrite.com.