Hip-Hop South Festival brings Rapsody, Big Boi and more to Chapel Hill. How to go.
Triangle hip-hop fans can rejoice — a Chapel Hill music festival will bring big names and bigger performances to the region this weekend.
The inaugural Hip-Hop South Festival will see local artists and award-winning talents take to the stage on Friday and Saturday, with notable performances by Grammy-nominated NC rapper Rapsody and Grammy Award winner Big Boi, formerly of OutKast.
Here’s everything you need to know.
The basics
The festival comes as part of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Carolina Performing Arts’ Southern Futures initiative, which aims to promote and produce cultural work and research on social justice, racial equity and the South.
The Hip-Hop South Festival will celebrate “the impact of hip-hop across the South,” organizers said on the event website.
It was co-curated by Christopher Massenburg and Regina Bradley, both of whom are fellows with Harvard University’s Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellowship program.
In addition to musical performances, the festival will bring “academic gatherings, late-night beat and dance battles, visual art and more” to the area.
The festival will hold its headline performances at 6 p.m. each day.
On Friday, April 22 the show will take place at Cat’s Cradle, a music venue at 301 E. Main St., Carrboro. The next day, the main show will be at Memorial Hall on UNC’s campus.
Late night events will continue at 10 p.m. both days, held at the CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio at 123 W. Franklin St.
Those attending Friday performances should note that Cat’s Cradle requires attendees to wear a mask and bring proof they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have tested negative for the virus in the prior 72 hours.
The lineup
Friday
The main show will feature several NC locals, with performances by Rapsody, Shirlette Ammons and Carolina Waves.
Rapsody is originally from Snow Hill, while Shirlette Ammons is a Durham-based poet and musician.
Carolina Waves, an award-winning, multi-platform brand, promotes aspiring and independent artists.
Friday’s late night event will feature Turn It Loose, Vol. 3 with the Raleigh Rockers, a dance competition.
Saturday
This lineup will see other artists from the region and the South come to Chapel Hill.
It will feature a performance by Big Boi, a Grammy Award-winning rapper, songwriter and record producer, who gained critical acclaim as part of the southern hip hop duo OutKast.
Sa-Roc and Radio Rehab will also perform at the Saturday show.
The late night event will feature a beat battle with Soundtrak, Kash, Amp, and E.Jones of The Soul Council, which was formed by Triangle-based producer 9th Wonder.
Open to the public
Any member of the public can also attend Bradley’s “Dirty South Scribes” exhibit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at the CURRENT ArtSpace + Studio.
As part of the festival, a new mural in downtown Chapel Hill by local artist Artie Barkdale celebrates hip-hop history at 108 Henderson St., on the side of Imbibe restaurant and Zog’s bar. Its location is near the site of The Hideaway, a former hip-hop club and “key stop on the Southern hip-hop circuit in the early 2000s,” organizers said.
How to go
Tickets are available at carolinaperformingarts.org at a range of prices.
Friday tickets:
- Main show - $40
- Late night event - $15
Saturday tickets:
- Main show - $65
- Late night event - $15
Two-day passes are also available, running up to $135, depending on how many events you choose to attend.
A limited number of discounted UNC-Chapel Hill student tickets are also available with proof of a UNC One Card, according to event organizers.
Attendees who purchase tickets for either day’s main show event will receive souvenir posters by artist Marcus Kiser, organizers said.
This story was originally published April 21, 2022 at 6:15 AM with the headline "Hip-Hop South Festival brings Rapsody, Big Boi and more to Chapel Hill. How to go.."