Four decades after Aaron Dontez Yates first touched a mic and 24 albums into an unfathomable career that’s redefined independent hip hop, Tech N9ne has dropped album #25 as of today. His latest project for Strange Music, 5816 Forest is a 22-track journey that takes fans straight back to where it all began: chronicling the […]
Hinterland Music Festival — a lowkey, folk-centered festival in small town Iowa — returns for its celebratory 10th year on August 1st through 3rd, 2025. With a stacked lineup of mainstream headliners, as well as a powerful indie-folk undercard that the festival is known for, this three-day is once again drawing thousands to St. Charles, […]
On Saturday, May 24th, Day of Two of Cali Roots Festival in Monterey came alive — and the fans were ready for it. It was going to be yet another day with a stacked lineup across reggae genres. The day started with an explosion of energy from Florida artist Surfer Girl at the Bowl Stage, […]
Bumpin Uglies have always known how to bottle up a feeling — and their new single “I-95” delivers that feeling straight from the cupholders of an east coast summer road trip. Released June 13th, the track is equal parts mixtape memory, beach-bound escape, and lyrical time capsule. From the jump, you’re riding shotgun with the […]
Day One of the California Roots Festival kicked off at the historical Monterey Fairgrounds once again on May 23rd, 2025. Reggae fans from all over the country traveled to Monterey to see friends and the stacked reggae-meets-hip hop lineup — with Day One leaning heavily into the former. The day was nice… not too cold, […]
Denzel Curry knows how to end things with a bang, whether it’s his tour, other artist’s tours, at an intimate venue, or at an arena. On the final U.S. stop of his Mischievous South Tour, the Miami Gardens rapper turned The Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles into a war zone of mosh […]
The fourth and final day of Reggae Rise Up Florida 2025 kicked off with the same momentum as the rest of the weekend, showcasing Florida natives Tidal Theory and Dale and the Zdubs right out the gate all the way through The Movement and Dirty Heads closing out their respective stages. The festival was teeming […]
G-Eazy lit up the stage at the Val Air Ballroom in West Des Moines as part of his Helium Tour, delivering a high-energy performance that captivated the intimate crowd. The evening featured supporting acts Marc E. Bassy and Goody Grace, each bringing their unique flair to Iowa. Goody Grace kicked off the night with just […]
There are some artists that are true enigmas in their craft… Ones that you can’t peel your eyes away from as they perform; ones that fully encompass the music they make. I was excited to finally see K. Flay live (been waiting over a decade for it!!), but little was I prepared for the wild […]
Los Angeles got a taste of French nu-disco magic on Friday night, as L’Impératrice brought their US Pulsar Tour to The Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall. With a mix of funk and synth-pop, the Paris collective delivered an exciting performance that proved why they are one of the most stimulating live acts globally. Before their […]
The rare winter storms sweeping Florida and the rest of the Southeast United States this year may make warm weather feel like a distant memory, but there is a beacon of good vibes and sunshine rapidly approaching in the Tampa Bay region. Reggae Rise Up Florida is almost here, returning to its waterfront home of […]
Top Shelf has had the pleasure of a sit down with American rapper X-Raided, who talked of music, prison, and his strong connection with the Menendez brothers, who (as most of us are aware) are currently incarcerated for killing their parents with hopes for future release. In 1992, Anerae Veshaughn Brown (aka, X-Raided) was sentenced […]
Some Californians may have been caught off-guard by last month’s tsunami warnings along the northern coast. However, those who knew The Elovaters were coming to the iconic Warfield Theater in San Francisco were already well-prepared to ride the waves long into the night! What caused these emergency alerts, you might ask? Let me explain… A […]
Rod Wave recently crashed the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, with a star-studded lineup of hip hop and R&B artists. The show lasted well into the night, with six different performers taking the stage throughout the course of the concert. It seems like no coincidence that the last person to play this stadium was Jelly […]
Day Three of Mission Bayfest 2024 came in hot — literally and figuratively. It was sunshine, smoke, and seriously good vibes. With the sun blazing and a stacked lineup, I bounced all over the park with my camera, soaking up every beat, every moment, and every puff of… festival spirit. Here’s the breakdown of the […]
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