Every year, Red Bull’s Culture Clash travels the world bringing the spirit of Jamaican Sound System (aka Sound Clash) culture by showcasing head-to-head performances from four crews, each celebrating the city’s historically lively parades. This year’s Culture Clash featured Papi Juice (representing the Pride March), Remezcla (representing the National Puerto Rican Day Parade), Eastern Standard Times (representing the Lunar New Year Parade), and No Long Talk (representing the West Indian Day Parade).

Red Bull Culture Clash gives New Yorkers the opportunity to openly display love and pride for the city’s different cultural music scenes on one of the biggest stages in the world.” 

~ No Long Talk Crew

On June 1st, at Greenpoint’s Open-Air Terminal Market, with the NYC skyline and East River as the perfect backdrop, Red Bull’s Culture Clash set up four competing stages. Upon arrival, attendees navigated the long driveway, passing stacked, decorated shipping containers until the East River and skyline were revealed, shimmering in the beautiful 80-degree weather. The anticipation attendees felt during entry was met with excitement and pride for their cultures being a part of this day.

The Open-Air Market featured vendors like The West Indian Carnival Association, NYC Pride, BreadxButta, Everything Oxtail, Forsyth Fire, and Boba Guys. BreadxButta, for example, showed their love for Puerto Rico by setting up an immersive photo op where you could hear sounds recorded from the island. As attendees continued through the vendors (sipping newly acquired Red Bulls), there were opportunities to try foods from different cultures and an option to relax at communal picnic tables before the event.

As you entered the battle area, four stages were set up in each corner of the venue, all facing into the DJ and crowd-decibel sound reader. Each stage was decorated almost like a parade float, with intricate details and storylines representing their respective cultures. The Papi Juice Crew, representing PRIDE, had their stage sparkling in silver and pink, wrapped with pink and white airbrushed illustrations of their crew members. Remezcla displayed Puerto Rican cultural staples on their stage, such as life-sized dominos, a card table, a car wrapped in the Puerto Rican flag, and a Piragua cart with the word “Nuyorico” painted across it.

No Long Talk’s stage combined West Indian and NYC culture by displaying street signs reading Eastern Parkway and Utica Ave. Their mega speaker system was built into a yellow truck cab, with a backdrop of illustrated people waving flags as if they were in the parade. Lastly, Eastern Standard Times decorated their stage to celebrate the Year of The Dragon, with traditional symbology and designs celebrating the Asian diaspora.

Before the competition started, attendees celebrated and danced together to music by The Large, a British DJ based in New York known for her unique blend of up-to-the-time soundsystem heaters featuring club music from around the world. Performing crew members could be seen handing out blow horns, cowbells, fans, flags, and other noisemakers. Initially confused but excited, attendees soon realized why these would come in handy.

As the competition started, the hosts Mel Ottenberg, creative director and editor-in-chief of Interview Magazine, and Devin Halbal, a TikTok influencer known for her off-the-cuff phrases like “Met Gala Behavior,” introduced each crew and laid out the rules:

There would be four rounds, with each team having 8 minutes to win over the crowd. Each round’s winner would be decided by crowd cheer and a sound decibel system. This system encouraged attendees to stay in front of the stage they were supporting and make as much noise as possible during voting at the end of each round.

Round 1: Temperature’s Rising

Papi Juice Crew (featuring Papi Juice, Raul Lopez of Luar, Mazurbate, Bronze Goddess, Byrell The Great, Kimberly Drew, and West Dakota), kicked off this round with a high-energy lip sync performance with dancers on stage. Above the stage, their crew held signs saying “Protect Trans Kids,” “Pride Was A Riot,” and “For Marsha.” Their high-energy performance set the tone for what was to come.

Remezcla (featuring J.I The Prince of N.Y, Nina Sky, Tony Touch, DJ Bembona, and Christian Martir with Capicu!), followed with a group playing cards as a DJ played traditional Puerto Rican songs, accompanied by spirited Conga percussionists. They called for the community to come together and celebrate Nuyorican culture, representing the cultural and intellectual movement involving poets, writers, musicians, and artists of Puerto Rican or Latin descent who live in or near New York City.

No Long Talk (featuring DJ Puffy, SilentMatic, DJ Madout, Disco Neil, Jus Jay King, Kevin Crown, Major Penny, Rheezus, Shacia Payne, and Travis World), jumped straight in with classic calypso, soca, reggae, and dancehall hits while dancers waved flags from different Caribbean islands. Kevin Crown spoke to the deep roots of Caribbean culture in NYC, with specific reference to Eastern Parkway and Utica Avenue in Brooklyn.

Eastern Standard Times (featuring P-Lo, Bohan Phoenix, Sunkis, 12 Pell, Ted Park, Inspecta Jones, Deb Kim, Sangarang, and Slayrizz), started with a high-energy set featuring an Asian spin on hip-hop while dragons danced across the stage. They brought out Jay Park, a current hitmaker in the Asian rap scene, to excite the crowd. After introducing their crew, they took a moment to thank the crowd for coming and noted the hardships faced by the Asian communities in recent years. They ended with a message of unity and celebration of the Asian diaspora.

No points were given as Round 1 was a warm-up. However, the crowd made the most noise for No Long Talk, hitting over 100 on the decibel reader.

Round Two: Parade 

Remezcla started the second round by celebrating the Puerto Rican Day Parade with high-energy dancers decked out in Puerto Rican flags and clothing. They continued by creating a nostalgic soundtrack for their parade with musical guests like Nina Sky, Lumidee, and Judy Santos.

No Long Talk showed love and homage to Trinidad, the originators of the Caribbean Carnival. Masqueraders dressed in carnival costumes danced across the stage, amping up the crowd while some of the biggest Soca hits played.

Easter Standard Time transported the audience to the Lunar New Year Parade with dragons dancing across the stage. Slay Rizz, dressed in a gold outfit emulating a dragon, strutted down the stage, giving the audience the performance they came for.

Papi Juice Crew continued to show their love for Pride by highlighting some of the biggest black female artists in the industry. They celebrated their queerness by reminding the crowd that “Everyone’s a little gay”.

While all the crews put on a stellar performance, the point for this round went to Papi Juice Crew!

Round 3: New York, New York

For this round, the groups had to remix the song “New York Groove” by Hello into their performance.

No Long Talk remixed the song into a traditional reggae mix. The crowd was encouraged to wave their flags and show love for New York City. Eastern Standard Times continued their hip-hop celebration, mixing the song with tracks from their crew and cultures. Papi Juice brought a ballroom performance with voguing, and they brought out rapper Precious who paid homage to the birth of Hip-Hop, turning up the heat and energy on stage. Remezcla put a reggaeton twist on the song, performed by J.I The Prince of New York, ending with signs promoting ForPuertoRico.art, a site with a petition for the freedom of expression and autonomy for the Puerto Rican people.

This round’s point went to No Long Talk, tying them with Papi Juice.

Round 4: Special Guest

Eastern Standard Times expressed their appreciation to the black community for creating hip-hop and invited Philadelphia-based artist Pink Sweat$, who amped up the crowd with call-and-repeat lyrics before performing some of his top hits.

Papi Juice brought out Ms. Boogie, who rapped over a classic New York drill beat, filling the air with a feeling of queer liberation and celebration.

Remezcla brought out legends Laura Styles, DJ Tony Touch, J.I The Prince,  and Jim Jones. During the performances, folkloric characters integral to Puerto Rican culture and festivals were on stage dancing and exciting the crowd. 

No Long Talk wowed the crowd by bringing out YG Marley and Wyclef Jean. Just when the crowd thought it couldn’t get any better, Wyclef Jean played exclusive dubplates of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. The set ended with a remix of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” calling out all the opposing crews.

The fourth round ended in a close call, but the double point went to No Long Talk, crowning them the winners of the Red Bull Culture Clash 2024. We asked the winners how they see this performance contributing to the recognition and celebration of West Indian culture in NYC, to which they replied:

“Our crew hopes to execute a performance that shows the wider world that Caribbean music has the power to unite people from so many different places, and that it is really a source of healing for so many New Yorkers. Hopefully, the show speaks for itself, but we look forward to solidifying Caribbean culture as one of the driving forces for New York’s rich and diverse cultural palette.

“I hope people remember this event as one that showed the world that 1) the Caribbean can dominate against any culture (doe size up),” No Long Talk Crew continued, and “2) we can also dominate in a way that is celebratory and uplifting. I also hope that this event leads to a greater level of respect, recognition, and opportunities for Caribbean culture globally.”

As the sun set over the New York City skyline you could feel the immense amount of love, support, and community. You could feel the melting pot. The celebration of culture and community is something that defines New York, and this experience was incredibly special for all involved. We want to congratulate No Long Talk on this year’s win and celebrate the entire Caribbean culture for their contributions.

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Doors at the venue opened promptly at 7 pm and the staff moved everyone in quickly and efficiently while holding the sanctity of the line, something every New Yorker cherishes in a security staff. The woman checking IDs in my line had a compliment for everyone whose IDs she checked and she sent each of us off with a genuine “Have a great show!” As I walked in, I found the pit filled to the brim but the bar area felt like a ghost town. Having parked there I glanced up to the second-floor balcony that rimmed and overlooked the pit and saw security looking down from their makeshift panopticon with blinding flashlight beams lighting up anyone who was sparking a lighter. Another team member would follow the beam of light and throw out the culprits. Later in the evening, the DJ made an announcement that the show would be shut down if the crowd didn’t stop smoking inside. The added security, the empty bar line, and the harsh no-smoking protocols seemed to all point to the younger audience in the crowd.

The Houston-based Rapper and Producer came to fame on the back of the Music Video for his song “Ride”. The song and video came out when May was just 17 years old living in Houston’s Alief neighborhood. His music has a spiritual connection to youth and identity which seems to resonate with his primarily younger crowd. Traditionally his beats have avoided stereotypical trap sounds and have had a more instrumental and melodic focus. His flow resembles that of J. Cole who uses a lot of pattern-based rhyme schemes that give more focus to vocals and emphasize the final words of each line. May’s sound is beginning to evolve as his most recent single “My Bad” showcases. One audience member described the change in his sound as becoming more “mainstream”. Regardless of how you might feel about his musical evolution, his change in sound, the dropping of his most recent single, and completing a North American tour (which saw him sell out nearly half of his shows) could be a sign of a new album to come, first since 2022.

May came out at around 9:15 pm after an hour-long opening set from their touring DJ and a few other MIA talents. The openers consisted of Lou XIII, Young Zvck, and Jay Millz. Each performed for about 10 minutes and then gave way to a few more party-hit DJ tracks before the entire group left the stage to have a few shots and say hello to some of their crew on the balcony.

The audience waited eagerly for their hero to take the stage, prompted three times by the now-returned DJ to chant for Aaron May. When May finally did, the crowd lost their minds. The moment May stepped out on stage, the pit snapped closed like the doors of a 2 train. The entire crowd surged forward to fill every vacant space in the pit and get as close to their star as they could. May came out with his entourage in tow and they created a semicircle around him for the entire show like a Greek chorus. He had photographers, videographers, rappers, friends, and the like supporting and hyping him up as he went.

May performed using a mix of canned and live vocals that left a little to be desired. His presence on stage is electric; he has the clothes, the hair, the jewelry, the swagger, the eye, and most importantly, the talent to easily command an audience. Despite this, he leaned on the crutch of the canned vocal track heavily which took away from his ability to showcase all that he had to offer. One the biggest highlights of the performance, a mark that exemplifies his raw eye for a vibe, was his inclusion of a live guitar player. He was the only accompanying musician in attendance besides the DJ and he played through nearly every song with the rapper. The addition was subtle but it made a difference to both the atheism of the show and to the musicality which thrived on an injection of life.

May is wrapping up his first North American tour on June, 8th in Phoenix, Arizona. Keep your eyes peeled for his next album and keep an eye on MIA as they continue to grow in Houston.

The post Aaron May doesn’t make or break in a sold-out show appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Marley was joined on stage throughout the evening by Patrice Roberts, Sarkodie, Bobby Konders, and King Cruff. We’ve seen Skip Marley perform on a CityParks stage and much like the previous time this night was a wonderful showcase of talent.

It is a well-known fact that talent runs in the Marley family. Skip made his debut performing “One Love” with his uncle Stephen Marley and has since risen to his own rightful heights. His debut 2020 EP Higher Place was nominated for Best Reggae Album at the Grammys (one of his two nominations). His collaborative single “Slow Down” with  H.E.R. became the quickest and biggest-streaming song in Marley’s family history, and elevated Skip to over 440 million total global artist streams. And the award nominations kept coming.

The post In photos: SummerStage presents Skip Marley and Friends appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Born Steve Thomas Lacy-Moya, Steve Lacy, makes music about “breakups, freakouts, and sexuality struggles he’s faced so far” (The Guardian), and that in itself makes him very relatable to a wide range of audiences. This particular performance was a wonderful showcase of his skills as a musician, performer, and style icon.

The post In pictures: Re:SET NYC shines a spotlight on Steve Lacy appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Multi-platinum music producer, artist, and DJ Kenny Beats has worked as a producer with the likes of Vince Staples, Skrillex, Freddie Gibbs, Denzel Curry, and Rico Nasty just to name a few. This showcase was definitely a special one, focusing on this record and spotlighting another talent, including a special appearance by Mark Bowen from IDLES who came out to perform a cover of Shania Twain’s 1997 smash “Man! I Feel Like A Woman”.

Re-live the event with us through photos.

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Phony Ppl are Brooklyn natives and collectively offer a range of musical influences all blending smoothly into their own unique sound. Childhood friends turned professional musicians Phony Ppl have received praise from many artists and music publications alike. Here are some photographic highlights from their performance.

The post Photo album: Phony Ppl at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Allan Rayman is on tour and we caught his performance at the Bowery Ballroom (NYC). On this night we heard tracks from Roadhouse 02 and older favourites like “Tennessee,” “Gun,” “Word of Mouth,” and many others.

It was a treat for everyone, as expected. See the remaining tour dates here but in the meanwhile here are some photos of Allan in the shadows, naturally.

The post Photo album: Allan Rayman live at the Bowery Ballroom appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Carnaval happens all around the world on the same day and this year elrow brought the Carnival to New York. For two days a “street party in a jungle” took over Avant Gardner for a total of nearly 20 hours of non-stop party. Ok, there was a lil’ break in between, everyone needs a nap and a shower. 

This party was called “Sambowdromo Do Brasil” and we would like to take there through pictures. So come along, join in, relive it if you went, make yourself a cocktail, hug a pineapple and transport yourself to Carnival! We also have a short recap video here on Instragram.

Carnival dancers on stilts in a wide range of costumes were seen throughout the night mingling with the crowd and performing.

Above and below: UK’s Wheats on the decks, hoping up the sweaty crowd.

Above and below: performers in elaborate costumes, often on stilts, setting up the atmosphere and sharing energy with the NYC crowd.

New York’s own Alan Nieves takes his turn spinning for the room followed up by one of the event activity organizers getting people limbered up.

The room was filled with love and the ultimate version of self-expression.

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